RESULTS The instruments most frequently used were single-item VAS and Biberoglu and Behrman pain score , while multidimensional inventories were used in few studies .
The results of clinical studies in CPP are more frequently based on one-dimensional measurements .
RATIONALE Many types of  pain assessment are available to research ers carrying out clinical trials in chronic pelvic pain ( CPP ) , ranging from a single-item scale to multidimensional inventories .
AIM Our objective was to investigate which assessment s of pain are more commonly used in clinical trials on CPP .
Anti-TNF-α treatment for deep endometriosis-associated pain: a randomized placebo-controlled trial
BACKGROUND Endometriosis is associated with an inflammatory response . Hence infliximab , an anti-TNF-α monoclonal antibody , might relieve pain . METHODS A r and omized placebo-controlled trial was design ed with 21 women with severe pain and a rectovaginal nodule of at least 1 cm . After 1 month of observation , three infusions of infliximab ( 5 mg/kg ) or placebo were given . Surgery was performed 3 months later and follow-up continued for 6 months . The primary end-point was pain ( dysmenorrhea , deep dyspareunia and non-menstrual pain ) rated at each visit by the clinician and on a daily basis by the patient who in addition scored pain by visual analog pain scale and analgesia intake . Secondary end-points included the volume of the endometriotic nodule , pelvic tenderness and the visual appearance of endometriotic lesions at laparoscopy . RESULTS Pain severity decreased during the treatment by 30 % in both the placebo ( P < 0.001 ) and infliximab groups ( P < 0.001 ) . However , no effect of infliximab was observed for any of the outcome measures . After surgery , pain scores decreased in both groups to less than 20 % of the initial value . CONCLUSIONS Infliximab appears not to affect pain associated with deep endometriosis . Treatment is associated with an important placebo effect . After surgery , pain decreases to less than 20 % . Trials registration number Clinical Trials.gov : NCT00604864
RESULTS The instruments most frequently used were single-item VAS and Biberoglu and Behrman pain score , while multidimensional inventories were used in few studies .
The results of clinical studies in CPP are more frequently based on one-dimensional measurements .
RATIONALE Many types of  pain assessment are available to research ers carrying out clinical trials in chronic pelvic pain ( CPP ) , ranging from a single-item scale to multidimensional inventories .
AIM Our objective was to investigate which assessment s of pain are more commonly used in clinical trials on CPP .