Anas AS Hamdan,¹ Rafael Gálvez ,² Juan de Dios Luna,³ y Esperanza del Pozo⁴

¹Instituto de Neurociencias. Universidad de Granada, Granada; ²;Unidad de Dolor y Cuidados Paliativos, Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, Granada ³Departamento de Estadística. Universidad de Granada, Granada; ⁴Departamento de Farmacología e Instituto de Neurociencias. Universidad de Granada, Granada;

Objectives

To compare the diagnostic accuracy of the questionnaires LANSS and DN4 for neuropathic peripheral pain on Spanish population, and to analyze the possible associations between neuropathic pain descriptors in LANSS and DN4, with the items of the two dimension of BPI (Brief Pain Inventory), the intensity of pain and its interference with daily activities.

Methods

A total of 192 patients (n=121 with neuropathic pain and n=71 with nociceptive pain) were consecutively enrolled in Units of Pain in Hospitals of Andalusia, Spain. We evaluated the characteristics of pain with DN4 and LANSS scales, and pain intensity and interference in daily activities with BPI questionnaire between two groups of patients. The validity of LANSS and DN4 questionnaires was determined by using the area under curve of ROC analysis and compared with Delong`s test. Also, we performed association analysis (multivariate regression) to determine the outcomes that may affect the intensity of pain and quality of life measured with BPI questionnaire. For statistical analysis, Stata (v.11.5) software was used.

Results  

Patients with neuropathic pain reported significantly higher scores than nociceptive pain group in all items of pain intensity of BPI and also in general activity, mood, normal work and sleep in the dimension of interference with daily activities.

The LANSS score was positively associated with several items of dimension of intensity of pain in BPI, being the items light touch pain and altered pinprick threshold strong predictors for the intensity of pain. Although DN4 score does not predict the intensity of pain, the item “painful cold” was positively associated with several items of pain intensity dimension in BPI

The different items of quality of life (BPI) were mainly associated with average pain (BPI), but not with the neuropathic component, LANSS or DN4 scores.

Conclusions

The LANSS questionnaire is not only a powerful diagnostic tool for neuropathic pain, but it can provide information about pain intensity

The best predictive factor for pain interference with daily activities is properly the pain intensity, rather than its neuropathic characteristics.

Conference Title

15th World Congress on Pain. Buenos Aires, Argentina, (poster).

Conference Country

Argentina

Conference Date

Oct. 6, 2014 - Oct. 11, 2014

Conference Sponsor

IASP

Additional Info

Conference Website