Non-operative pain management interventions in patients with intermittent claudication: a protocol for a systematic mixed studies review with metaanalysis

Background/Aim: Intermittent claudication (IC) due to peripheral arterial disease (PAD) decreases individuals’ capacity to engage in physical activity. Identifying effective components of pain management interventions in this population will be of potential value because pain is the main symptom limiting physical activity participation. This review will assess the components of pain management intervention that improve PA in patients with IC.
Methods: CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Ovid, ProQuest, AMED, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Web of Science Core Collection, ScienceDirect, and PEDRO databases as well as
grey literature will be searched until January 2016. Studies that investigated the effect of pain management interventions in patients with IC, or studies that investigated patients’ perceptions to or experience with this intervention will be
included. Papers will be screened by two authors to identify eligible studies and to assess study quality. Homogenous quantitative outcome data will be analysed using a random effects model of meta-analysis with results presented as
relative risk for dichotomous outcomes and weighted mean or standardised mean for continuous outcomes. Qualitative data will be analysed using thematic synthesis.
Expected outcome: The systematic review will make recommendation on the effective components of pain management interventions to improve the physical activity of individuals with IC. This will guide the development of future interventions using the components identified to facilitate effectiveness.