- Çukurova Anestezi ve Cerrahi Bilimler Dergisi
- Vol: 6 Issue: 1
- Neuropathic Pain in Spinal Cord Injuries
Neuropathic Pain in Spinal Cord Injuries
Authors : Nilüfer Aygün Bilecik
Pages : 140-146
View : 11 | Download : 7
Publication Date : 2023-04-30
Article Type : Research
Abstract :Aim: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a destructive condition causing additional physical, psychological, and social function disorders. Neuropathic pain (NP) following SCI is a common and challenging problem to treat. The addition of the NP following SCI increases the impairment of the sleep patterns, moods, and daily life activities of the patients. Treatment of NP following SCI is often difficult and often requires a long time to respond to treatment. The study aimed to investigate the neuropathic pain condition in patients with SCI. Methods: The study included 52 patients with spinal cord injuries. Including the demographics and clinical characteristics, The Visual Analog Scale (VAS) was used to define the intensity of the pain, and a self-report version of the Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs pain scale (S-LANSS) was used to assess the neuropathic symptoms and signs. The cases under the age of 18, and over 65 with conditions that might have neuropathic origins, ones with dermatological diseases in the symptomatic regions, and other clinical issues that may cause immobility besides SCI, were not included in the study. Results:The mean age was 42,25±18,12 years. The median scores of VAS and S-LANSS were 6 (0-10) and 11 (0-24), respectively. The majority were male, ASIA A, and paraplegic (63.5%, 67.3%, and 67.3%, respectively). The rates of patients on pregabalin and gabapentin were 30.8% and 19.2%, respectively. The VAS scores of patients with a higher probability of neuropathic pain (S-LANSS≥12) were significantly increased (7 (4-10) vs 3,5 (0-9), p<0.001). There were no significant differences in terms of age and gender. Conclusions: Among SCI patients, the frequency of NP detected by using S-LANSS were increased. Therefore, patients with SCI might require a more careful examination regarding neuropathic pain and thus receive appropriate treatments in routine clinical practice.Keywords : Spinal Kord Yaralanması, Nöropatik Ağrı, S-LANSS