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Table 2 Relevance, specificity and item-total correlation of each item and categories of the scale in horses submitted to castration or only anaesthesia

From: Refinement and partial validation of the UNESP-Botucatu multidimensional composite pain scale for assessing postoperative pain in horses

Variable

Criteria

Specificity (%) 1

Relevance (confidence interval) 2

Item-total correlation 3

GA x GC

GAA X GC

GCA x GC

Positioning in the stall

The horse’s head is at the outside door

78.3

18.6 (4.4-78.9)*

48.3 (10.0-233.1)*

0.1 (0–0.4)

0.4

The horse is inside the stall, but looking at the outside door, observing the environment

19.5

0.6 (0.2-2.0)

0.1 (0.0-0.7)

1.9 (0.6-6.16)

The horse is eating

0.9

NE

NE

NE

The horse is not close to the outside stall door and does not look interested in the environment

0.9

NE

NE

NE

Head position

Above the withers or grazing

95.0

NE

NE

NE

0.2

At the level of the withers

3.3

NE

NE

NE

Below the withers but not eating

0.0

NE

NE

NE

Response to opening the door

The horse moves towards the door or is already positioned at the outside door

15.8

1.0 (0.2-3.7)

1.5 (0.4-6.0)

1.9 (0.6-6.5)

0.3

The horse looks at the door, but does not move towards the door

15.8

0.7 (0.2-3.3)

0.3 (0–1.7)

0.5 (0.1-1.7)

The horse does not respond to opening the door

1.7

NE

NE

NE

Response to approach and presence of the observer

Moves towards or looks to the observer

84.7

0.3 (0.1-1.5)

0.2 (0.1-0.9)

1.4 (0.3-6.1)

0.2

Moves away from the observer

2.5

NE

NE

NE

Does not move

12.7

3.8 (0.8-18.8)

4.6 (1.0-21.2)*

0.7 (0.1-3.7)

Appetite for hay

The horse eats hay

99.1

NE

NE

NE

0.2

The horse does not eat hay

0.8

NE

NE

NE

Response to concentrate food

Moves to the food and eats

90.7

NE

NE

NE

0.2

Hesitates to move towards the food, but eats

8.0

NE

NE

NE

Shows no interest in food, not eating

0

NE

NE

NE

Locomotion

The horse moves freely alone

84.2

47.6 (4.9-464.0)*

5.8 (1.6-21.3)*

0.2 (0–0.6)

0.4

The horse does not move, or is reluctant to move

10.0

0 (0–0.2)

0.2 (0.1-0.7)

6.2 (1.6-23.2)*

The horse is agitated, restless

5.8

NE

NE

NE

Locomotion when led by the evaluator

The horse moves freely when led

86.5

108.2 (4.4- > 999.9)*

68.1 (4.9-946.5)*

0 (<0.001-0.1)

0.4

The horse does not move, or is reluctant to move when led

12.2

NE

NE

NE

The horse is agitated, restless

0.0

NE

NE

NE

Variable

Criteria

Specificity (%) 1

Relevance (confidence interval) 2

Item-total correlation 3

GA x GC

GAA X GC

GCA x GC

Response to palpation of the painful area (approximately 3 cm besides the wound)

No response or change in relation to pre-procedure palpation response of the surgical wound

57.1

4.1 (1.1-15.)*

18.8 (4.6-76.0)*

0.3 (0.1-1.1)*

0.4

Mild reaction to palpation of the surgical wound

29.4

0.1 (0–0.5)

0.1 (0–0.5)

1.9 (0.6-5.9)*

Violent reaction to palpation of the surgical wound

13.4

2.1 (0.6-7.8)*

0.1 (0–1.3)*

1.7 (0.4-7.5)*

Response to an auditory stimulus (clap hands)

Moves and/or pays attention with ears or head movements

80.0

6.8 (0.5-84.0)

4.9 (0.7-33.6)

0.5 (0.1-2.0)

0.3

Calm, no response

18.6

NE

NE

NE

No response to auditory stimulus due to prostration

0.0

NE

NE

NE

Looking at the flank

The horse does not look at the flank

84.6

46.7 (9.9-219.0)*

128.9 (21.2-782.7)*

0.1 (0–0.3)*

0.4

The horse looks at the flank

15.4

0 (0–0.1)

0 (0–0)

11.7 (3.1-43.7)*

Kicking at the abdomen

The horse does not kick the abdomen

95.8

NE

NE

NE

0.3

The horse kicks at the abdomen

2.5

NE

NE

NE

Lifting hind limbs

No lifting of hind limbs

74.6

18.0 (3.9-81.9)*

96.5 (16.4-566.4)*

0.1 (0–0.4)

0.6

Lifting hind limbs

22.0

0.2 (0.1-0.8)

0 (0–0.2)

4.6 (1.3-16.1)*

Lifting one of the hind limbs and extending the head

3.4

NE

NE

NE

Head movement

Head straight ahead most of the time

87.1

91.2 (10.1-822.7)*

32.4 (6.7-155.7)*

0.1 (0–0.3)

0.4

Lateral and/or vertical occasional head movements

12.1

NE

NE

NE

Lateral and/or vertical continuous head movements

0.9

NE

NE

NE

Pawing on the floor (fore limbs)

Quietly standing, no pawing

89.7

17.5 (3.6-84.9)*

38.9 (6.6-230.1)*

0.1 (0–0.5)

0.4

Pawing

9.4

0.1 (0–0.4)

0 (0–0.2)

4.1 (1.12-14.1)*

Others

Moving the tail sharply and repeatedly

21.7

0.9 (0.2-3.5)

0.5 (0.1-2.1)

1.8 (0.5-6.7)

0.5

Moving the tail sharply and repeatedly and lifting the hind limbs

9.2

0 (0–0.2)

0 (0–0.2)

2.4 (0.9-6.9)

Partial penis protrusion

23.2

2.3 (0.4-12.5)

8.5 (1.6-4.2)

0.4 (0–2.0)

0.2

Penis protrusion

47.4

NE

NE

NE

   

GA x GC

GAA X GC

GCA x GC

 

Heart rate

-

-

-

-

0.6

Respiratory rate

-

-

-

-

0.5

Systolic blood pressure

-

-

-

-

0.4

Digestive sounds

-

-

-

-

0.3

  1. The categories written in bold letters were used for the sum of the total score. NE – not evaluated as there were not sufficient data for statistical analysis (the behaviour was either infrequently or not observed). GA – Anaesthesia only (n = 6). GAA – Pre-emptive analgesia followed by anaesthesia (n = 6). GC – Anaesthesia, castration and postoperative analgesia administered four hours after surgery (n = 6). GCA – Pre-emptive analgesia, followed by anaesthesia and castration (n = 6).
  2. 1The specificity of each item was evaluated by investigating if that particular behaviour was present or not at TC, moment without pain, in all observations from all evaluators, in all animals from all groups. Specificity was classified as excellent (0–4.9%), good (5–14.9%), moderate (15–29.9%), or nonspecific (≥30%).
  3. 2Relevance was tested based on the possibility of distinguishing the behaviour in T4 in GC compared to the other groups. The item was considered relevant when that item differentiated GC from the other three groups, or when GC was different from animals without pain (GA and GAA). The item was considered irrelevant when there were no differences between GC and the other groups. Asterisks (*) indicate differences between groups.
  4. 3Criterion validity for item-total correlation with Pearson correlation test (weak < 0.30; moderate 0.31 – 0.60; strong 0.61 – 0.9; very strong 0.91 -1.0) [8].