Abstract
Study design:
Retrospective register study.
Objective:
To investigate the predictive value of the following parameters for the development of neuropathic pain after non-traumatic spinal cord lesion: that is age at onset of spinal cord disease, gender, completeness of lesion, level of lesion, and aetiology.
Setting:
A unit for patients with post-acute traumatic and non-traumatic spinal cord lesions in the greater area of Stockholm, Sweden.
Method:
All patients with non-traumatic spinal cord lesions visiting the unit between 1995 and 2000 were classified according to the following: that is neuropathic pain at or below lesion level according to IASP criteria, age at time of the onset of the spinal cord symptoms, injury level, complete/incomplete injury, and aetiology. Results were analysed with χ2 – analysis and logistic regression.
Results:
In total, 38% had neuropathic pain, 15% had pain predominantly at the level of lesion, and 23% predominantly below the level of lesion. Of those with pain, 67% reported that the pain affected daily life. Women reported neuropathic pain below the level of lesion more often (40%) than men (13%). The prevalence was particularly high (64%) for patients with malignant spinal cord diseases. Neither age at onset of the spinal cord symptoms, nor complete/incomplete injury nor injury level had significant influence on the prevalence.
Conclusion:
Neuropathic pain is common among patients with acquired non-traumatic spinal cord lesions regardless of aetiology, often causing severe problems in daily life.
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Acknowledgements
We thank Mr Jakob Bergström at the Department of Learning, Informatics, Management and Ethics (Lime) at the Karolinska Institute for statistical support, and Mrs Aileen Bergström, occupational therapist at the Uppsala University Hospital for linguistic revision. We also convey our appreciation to assistant professor Rickard Levi for being crucial and instrumental in establishing the database for spinal cord injured patients in the greater Stockholm area. Without that initiative this study would not have been made.
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Werhagen, L., Hultling, C. & Molander, C. The prevalence of neuropathic pain after non-traumatic spinal cord lesion. Spinal Cord 45, 609–615 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.sc.3102000
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.sc.3102000
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