All 4 faces pain scales were found to be adequately supported by psychometric data .
When given a choice between faces scales , children preferred the WBFPRS .
Confounding of pain intensity with affect caused by use of smiling and crying anchor faces is a disadvantage of the WBFPRS .
: For clinical use , we found no grounds to switch from 1 faces scale to another when 1 of the scales is in use .
CONTEXT : Numerous faces scales have been developed for the measurement of  pain intensity in children .
It remains unclear whether any one of the faces scales is better for a particular purpose with regard to validity , reliability , feasibility , and preference .
OBJECTIVES : To summarize and systematic ally review faces pain scales most commonly used to obtain self-report of pain intensity in children for evaluation of reliability and validity and to compare the scales for preference and utility .
The analgesic efficacy and neuroendocrine response in paediatric patients treated with two analgesic techniques: using morphine-epidural and patient-controlled analgesia.
BACKGROUND Pain treatment is one of the main concerns of paediatric anaesthesiologists . The purpose of this study was to assess and compare the quality of analgesia and stress suppression by morphine when used [ epidural ( single shot ) ( EP ) or with intravenous ( i.v . ) for patient-controlled analgesia ( PCA ) in children ] . METHODS Forty-four children , aged 5 - 15 years , and who were undergoing major genitourinary or lower abdominal surgery with a st and ardized general anaesthesia technique , were included in this study . In the EP group ( n=24 ) 0.1 mg x kg(-1 ) morphine in 0.2 ml x kg(-1 ) saline were given epidurally at the L3 - 4 level and in the PCA group ( n=20 ) 0.1 mg x kg-1 morphine was given i.v . immediately after intubation . Postoperative PCA bolus doses were 0.5 mg for patients weighing less than 20 kg , 1 mg for children weighing 20 - 30 kg and 1.5 mg for children weighing 30 - 40 kg . Blood sample s were withdrawn following induction and at 1 , 8 , 12 and 24 h after morphine administration for measurement of blood glucose , insulin , cortisol and morphine levels . Patients were observed for 24 h postoperatively ; heart rate , systolic blood pressure , respiratory rate , FACES pain scores , sedation scores and complications were recorded . RESULTS The PCA group received 0.56 + /- 0.33 mg x kg(-1 ) x day(-1 ) morphine . The FACES pain scores , sedation scores , cortisol , blood glucose and insulin levels were similar in both groups . Haemodynamic and respiratory evaluations and cortisol levels were stable but blood glucose and insulin changes at certain time periods were significant ( P < 0.05 ) . Serum morphine levels and incidence of vomiting were different between groups ( P < 0.05 ) . Serum morphine levels were similar at the first hour . CONCLUSIONS Both techniques provided sufficient pain relief and attenuated the hormonal response without life-threatening complications
All 4 faces pain scales were found to be adequately supported by psychometric data .
When given a choice between faces scales , children preferred the WBFPRS .
Confounding of pain intensity with affect caused by use of smiling and crying anchor faces is a disadvantage of the WBFPRS .
: For clinical use , we found no grounds to switch from 1 faces scale to another when 1 of the scales is in use .
CONTEXT : Numerous faces scales have been developed for the measurement of  pain intensity in children .
It remains unclear whether any one of the faces scales is better for a particular purpose with regard to validity , reliability , feasibility , and preference .
OBJECTIVES : To summarize and systematic ally review faces pain scales most commonly used to obtain self-report of pain intensity in children for evaluation of reliability and validity and to compare the scales for preference and utility .