Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting: Validation of the Portuguese Version of the Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting Intensity Score

摘要

Background and objectives The Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting (PONV) Intensity Scale was developed to de?ne clinically important PONV. The aim of this study was to translate, retranslate and validate the PONV Intensity Scale for use in Portuguese Post Anesthetic Care Unit (PACU) settings. Methods The PONV Intensity Scale was translated and back-translated in accordance with available guidelines. The research team conducted an observational and cohort prospective study in a PACU. One-hundred ?fty-seven adult patients admiited after surgery over three weeks were evaluated for PONV. Measurements included nausea visual analogic scale (VAS) at 6 and 24hours, postoperatively. We assessed reliability and observer disagreement using interclass correlation (ICC) and Information-Based Measure of Disagreement (IBMD). We compared VAS scores between patients with clinically signi?cant (≥50) and not signi?cant (<50) PONV. Results Thirty-nine patients (25%) had PONV at 6hours and 54 (34%) had PONV at 24hours. Thirty-six and 54 patients experienced nausea at 6 and 24hours, respectively. Among patients with PONV, 6 patients (15%) and 9 patients (27%) had a clinically signi?cant PONV intensity scale score at 6 and at 24hours, respectively. The reliability was good both for PONV intensity scale score and for VAS and observer disagreement was slightly higher for VAS. The median nausea VAS scores were higher in patients with clinically signi?cant PONV Intensity score. Conclusions The PONV Intensity Scale appears to be an accurate and reliable assessment and monitoring instrument for PONV in the PACU settings.