Health + Quality of Life Associated With Chronic Pain of Predominantly Neuropa

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Clin J Pain. 2007 Feb;23(2):143-149.

Health and Quality of Life Associated With Chronic Pain of

Predominantly Neuropathic Origin in the Community.

BH, Torrance N, MI, Lee AJ.

*Department of General Practice and Primary Care, University of

Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland daggerClinical Teaching and Research

Unit, St Gemma's Hospice and University of Leeds, Leeds, England,

United Kingdom.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the health and quality of life associated with

chronic pain of predominantly neuropathic origin (POPNO) on health

and daily activity in the general population.

METHODS: The Self-complete Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms

and Signs (S-LANSS) questionnaire, recently validated for

identifying pain of predominantly neuropathic origin, was sent to

6000 adults identified from general practices in the United Kingdom,

along with chronic pain identification and severity questions, the

Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), the Neuropathic Pain Scale, and the SF-

36 general health questionnaire.

RESULTS: With a corrected response rate of 52%, 3 groups of

respondents were identified: those without chronic pain ( " No Chronic

Pain " group, n=1537); those with chronic pain who were S-LANSS

positive indicating the presence of POPNO ( " Chronic POPNO " group, n

=241); and those with chronic pain who were S-LANSS negative

[ " Chronic Pain (non-POPNO) " group, n=1179]. The chronic POPNO group

reported higher pain severity and had significantly poorer scores

for all interference items of the BPI than those with chronic pain

(non-POPNO). Mean scores from the Neuropathic Pain Scale were also

significantly higher for the Chronic POPNO group. There were

significant differences between the groups in all domains of the SF-

36, with the Chronic POPNO group reporting the worst health. After

adjusting for pain severity, age, and sex, the chronic POPNO group

was still found to have poorer scores than the other Chronic Pain

(non-POPNO) group in all domains of the SF-36 and all interference

items in the BPI, indicating poorer health and greater disability.

DISCUSSION: This study confirms the importance of identifying

neuropathic pain in the community, and the need for multidimensional

management strategies that address all aspects of health.