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A Conceptual Framework for Understanding Patient Expectations in Individualised Anaesthesia and Analgesia: A Narrative Review and Future Directions

Mogianos, Krister LU orcid and Persson, Anna KM LU orcid (2026) In Journal of Personalized Medicine 16(4). p.1-13
Abstract
Acute postoperative pain remains a major clinical challenge, affecting both recovery and resource utilisation. Beyond nociceptive input, pain is shaped by cognitive and emotional factors, including patient expectations. This narrative review examines the role of expectations in perioperative pain modulation, framed within predictive coding and Bayesian inference models. These models conceptualise pain as a probabilistic process that integrates sensory input with prior expectations, weighted by precision. In theory, positive expectations may enhance analgesic efficacy, whereas negative expectations may amplify pain via nocebo mechanisms. Control modifies expectations and may reduce perceived pain, while uncertainty diminishes these... (More)
Acute postoperative pain remains a major clinical challenge, affecting both recovery and resource utilisation. Beyond nociceptive input, pain is shaped by cognitive and emotional factors, including patient expectations. This narrative review examines the role of expectations in perioperative pain modulation, framed within predictive coding and Bayesian inference models. These models conceptualise pain as a probabilistic process that integrates sensory input with prior expectations, weighted by precision. In theory, positive expectations may enhance analgesic efficacy, whereas negative expectations may amplify pain via nocebo mechanisms. Control modifies expectations and may reduce perceived pain, while uncertainty diminishes these benefits. Evidence from observational studies links preoperative pain self-efficacy and anticipated pain scores to postoperative outcomes, yet interventional trials remain scarce. In this narrative review, we propose that expectation- sensitive strategies, including structured communication and computational modelling, may inform individualised anaesthesia and analgesia. Future research should validate these frameworks in clinical trials, optimise preoperative expectation management, and explore synergistic approaches that combine pharmacology with cognitive modulation. Understanding and leveraging expectations may offer a promising conceptual direction for more individualised perioperative care, although this approach remains hypothesis-generating at present. (Less)
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author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Journal of Personalized Medicine
volume
16
issue
4
article number
191
pages
1 - 13
publisher
MDPI AG
ISSN
2075-4426
DOI
10.3390/jpm16040191
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
259b4b17-12d0-4e28-99fb-ab4300d8fa6e
date added to LUP
2026-04-03 07:09:13
date last changed
2026-04-07 08:00:25
@article{259b4b17-12d0-4e28-99fb-ab4300d8fa6e,
  abstract     = {{Acute postoperative pain remains a major clinical challenge, affecting both recovery and resource utilisation. Beyond nociceptive input, pain is shaped by cognitive and emotional factors, including patient expectations. This narrative review examines the role of expectations in perioperative pain modulation, framed within predictive coding and Bayesian inference models. These models conceptualise pain as a probabilistic process that integrates sensory input with prior expectations, weighted by precision. In theory, positive expectations may enhance analgesic efficacy, whereas negative expectations may amplify pain via nocebo mechanisms. Control modifies expectations and may reduce perceived pain, while uncertainty diminishes these benefits. Evidence from observational studies links preoperative pain self-efficacy and anticipated pain scores to postoperative outcomes, yet interventional trials remain scarce. In this narrative review, we propose that expectation- sensitive strategies, including structured communication and computational modelling, may inform individualised anaesthesia and analgesia. Future research should validate these frameworks in clinical trials, optimise preoperative expectation management, and explore synergistic approaches that combine pharmacology with cognitive modulation. Understanding and leveraging expectations may offer a promising conceptual direction for more individualised perioperative care, although this approach remains hypothesis-generating at present.}},
  author       = {{Mogianos, Krister and Persson, Anna KM}},
  issn         = {{2075-4426}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{04}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{1--13}},
  publisher    = {{MDPI AG}},
  series       = {{Journal of Personalized Medicine}},
  title        = {{A Conceptual Framework for Understanding Patient Expectations in Individualised Anaesthesia and Analgesia: A Narrative Review and Future Directions}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/jpm16040191}},
  doi          = {{10.3390/jpm16040191}},
  volume       = {{16}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}