SynthesisJournal of pain and symptom management2011
Studies comparing Numerical Rating Scales, Verbal Rating Scales, and Visual Analogue Scales for assessment of pain intensity in adults: a systematic literature review.
Synthesis in Journal of pain and symptom management, 2011. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 24 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 1,052 papers, 7 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Validation of the English Version of the Pain Interference Index and the Pain Rating Scale in Children, Adolescents, and Adults With Chronic Illness and Their Parents
Perioperative Intravenous Lidocaine Infusion for Patients Undergoing Laparoscopic and Open Pancreatectomies
Epidural Analgesia During Labour Randomized Clinical Trial Comparing Patient Controlled Epidural Analgesia Versus Patient Intermittent Epidural Boluses With Levobupivacaine
The Relationship Between Saliva β-endorphins Levels, Sensitivity and Tolerance to Cold Pain and Perception of Pain in Oral Surgery Procedures in Adult Patients
Laminar Drainage Implant: Safety of a Novel Surgical Treatment for Refractory Glaucoma.
Randomized Trial Comparing Anchorsure® Suture Anchoring System and the CapioTM Slim Suture Capturing Device for Sacrospinous Ligament Suspension.
Treatment of Persistent Headache Attributed to Mild Traumatic Injury to the Head (PHATIH) in Patients With Persistent Post Concussion Symptoms (PPCS) Using Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS)
Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Validation of the Back Beliefs Questionnaire to the Turkish Language
Pain Monitoring After Breast Biopsy: Benefit of E-health
The Analgesic Effect of Electroacupuncture on Postherpetic Neuralgia: a Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial
Perioperative Use of Ketamine Infusion vs Dexmedetomidine Infusion as Analgesic in Obese Patients Undergoing Bariatric Surgery
The Effectiveness of the Exercise Program Applied by Telerehabilitation Method in Individuals With Chronic Neck Pain
A Prospective, Open, Multi-Center, Interventional, Non-Comparative Clinical Investigation to Follow the Progress of Exuding Chronic Wounds Using Mepilex® Up
A Prospective, Open, Multi-Center, Interventional, Non-Comparative Clinical Investigation to Follow the Progress of Exuding Venous Leg Ulcers Using a Non-Bordered Foam Dressing
Study of the Diagnostic Accuracy of the Slump and Straight Leg Raise Neurodynamic Tests in Patients With Clinical Suspicion of Lumbar Radiculopathy
Molecular Signatures of Endocannabinoid Induced Pain Relief in Humans: Lifestyle Interventions, Systemic and Localised Changes
Effects of Physical Exercise and Motor Activity on Post-mastectomy Pain.
Effects of Physical Exercise and Motor Activity on Depression and Anxiety in Post-Mastectomy Pain Syndrome
Effects of Percutaneous Peripheral Nerve Stimulation on Neck and Low Back Pain: a Quadruple-blinded, Randomized Clinical Trial
Comparative Study Between Dexmedetomidine and Nalbuphine as Analgesic Adjuvants to Bupivacaine in Superficial Cervical Block for Patients Undergoing Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion (ACDF) Surgery A Double Blinded Randomized Trial
Effects of Pain Neuroscience Education and Therapeutic Exercise on Pain, Catastrophizing, Kinesiophobia and Upper Limb Function in Patients With Non-specific Neck Pain.
Efficacy of Local Lidocaine Gel for Pain Management During Transrectal Sonography in Virgins With Suspected Pelvic Pathology, A Phase II Single Arm Interventional Study
Acute Effects of Electrotherapy Modalities on Muscle Mechanical Properties in Individuals With Altered Head-Neck Posture
Video-based First-contact Consultation With a Physiotherapist in Primary Care for Patients With Musculoskeletal Symptoms
Who cites it
1,052 citing papers in PubMed, 7 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 2,594 citations in OpenAlex.
- Erector Spinae Plane Block vs. Intercostal Nerve Block for Pain Management in Thoracic Surgeries and Chest Wall Traumas: A Meta-Analysis.Current pain and headache reports · 2026Pooled it
- Are preoperative psychological factors associated with chronic postoperative pain after total knee arthroplasty: a systematic review.EFORT open reviews · 2026Pooled it
- Pooled it
- European Interdisciplinary Guidelines on Pain Management in Acute Pancreatitis: UEG, EPC, EDS, ESDO, EAGEN, ESPGHAN, ESGAR, and ESPCG Evidence-Based Recommendations.United European gastroenterology journal · 2026Guideline
- Prevalence and characteristics of persistent pain among head and neck cancer survivors: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Pain medicine (Malden, Mass.) · 2025Pooled it
- Efficacy of anterior quadratus lumborum block at the lateral supra-arcuate ligament for pain control in abdominal surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC anesthesiology · 2025Pooled it
- Transversus abdominis plane (TAP) blocks for prevention of postoperative pain in women undergoing laparoscopic and robotic gynaecological surgery.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2025Pooled it
- Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and Individualized Physical Therapy on Pain and Function in Individuals With Chronic Knee Pain: A Pilot Study.Physiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapy · 2026Trial
- Role of virtual reality exposure before elective day care surgery to reduce patient's distress.Updates in surgery · 2026Trial
- Trial
- Efficacy and safety of intense pulsed light compared to diode Laser for hair removal: a randomized controlled trial.Lasers in medical science · 2026Trial
- The effect of experimentally induced acute pain on lumbar movement control: a single blinded three-arm cross-over randomized control trial.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2026Trial
- Postoperative pain after single visit root canal treatment using domestic vs. medical grade sodium hypochlorite: a randomized controlled trial.BMC oral health · 2026Trial
- Application of anterior sciatic nerve block with liposomal bupivacaine in lower leg fracture surgery: a randomized clinical trial.BMC anesthesiology · 2026Trial
- Comparison of oral versus rectal NSAIDs for perioperative analgesia in pediatric circumcision using a disposable circumcision suture device: a randomized controlled trial.BMC anesthesiology · 2026Trial
- Trial
- Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation Reduces Postoperative Delirium After Major Non-Cardiac Surgery in Elderly Patients.Clinical interventions in aging · 2026Trial
- Efficacy of phloroglucinol and diclofenac sodium on pain relief for renal colic due to ureteral stones: a single-center, prospective randomized trial.Frontiers in pain research (Lausanne, Switzerland) · 2026Trial
- Trial
- Microneedles enhance the efficacy of topical dental anesthesia in male subjects: a randomized controlled trial.Brazilian oral research · 2026Trial
992 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
10 authors at 7 institutions in 4 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
contextThe use of unidimensional pain scales such as the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), Verbal Rating Scale (VRS), or Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) is recommended for assessment of pain intensity (PI). A literature review of studies specifically comparing the NRS, VRS, and/or VAS for unidimensional self-report of PI was performed as part of the work of the European Palliative Care Research Collaborative on pain assessment.
objectivesTo investigate the use and performance of unidimensional pain scales, with specific emphasis on the NRSs.
methodsA systematic search was performed, including citations through April 2010. All abstracts were evaluated by two persons according to specified criteria.
resultsFifty-four of 239 papers were included. Postoperative PI was most frequently studied; six studies were in cancer. Eight versions of the NRS (NRS-6 to NRS-101) were used in 37 studies; a total of 41 NRSs were tested. Twenty-four different descriptors (15 for the NRSs) were used to anchor the extremes. When compared with the VAS and VRS, NRSs had better compliance in 15 of 19 studies reporting this, and were the recommended tool in 11 studies on the basis of higher compliance rates, better responsiveness and ease of use, and good applicability relative to VAS/VRS. Twenty-nine studies gave no preference. Many studies showed wide distributions of NRS scores within each category of the VRSs. Overall, NRS and VAS scores corresponded, with a few exceptions of systematically higher VAS scores.
conclusionNRSs are applicable for unidimensional assessment of PI in most settings. Whether the variability in anchors and response options directly influences the numerical scores needs to be empirically tested. This will aid in the work toward a consensus-based, standardized measure.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.