A core outcome set of measurement instruments for assessing effectiveness and efficacy of perioperative pain management: results of the international IMI-PainCare PROMPT Delphi consensus process.

Summary

An international, multiprofessional Delphi process established a core set of patient-reported instruments to standardize outcome assessment in perioperative pain research. The set includes specific tools for pain intensity, pain interference with in-bed activities, procedure-specific physical function, self-efficacy, and opioid-related adverse events.

Key Findings

• Defined a core set of PROM instruments covering pain intensity (average, worst, rest, activity-specific), pain interference with in-bed activities, procedure-specific physical function, self-efficacy, and opioid-related adverse events.
• Used COSMIN-based psychometric appraisal plus international Delphi consensus including stakeholders with lived experience.
• Concluded that routine use of the core set will harmonize outcomes and improve postoperative pain research and care.

Clinical Implications

Adopting this core outcome set can improve comparability across perioperative pain trials, guide instrument selection in protocols, and support value-based, patient-centered quality improvement in postoperative pain care.

Limitations

• Implementation and cross-cultural validation across diverse surgical populations remain to be demonstrated.
• The core set focuses on PROMs and does not standardize clinician-reported or performance-based outcomes.

Future Directions

Prospective validation and uptake studies across procedures and countries; integration into trial registries, journal requirements, and perioperative quality programs.