Croatian Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, Croatian Medical Association
Abstract
Background and aims: Neuropathic pain (NPP) is present in almost one third
of patients with chronic low back pain. Patients with low back pain (LBP) accompanied
by radiating leg pain were included in the presented study in order
to assess the presence and intensity of NPP, the knowledge of patient about
neuropathic nature of leg pain and the frequency of adequate pharmacological
treatment. Methods: 15 subjects, both male and female patients attended at
epidemiological study. The presence of NPP has been tested with the DN4 and
Pain DETECT and the intensity with VAS.
Results: In 15 participants, NPP has been detected in 13 (86.7%) using the
DN4 questionnaire (score ≥ 4). The pain DETECT results confirmed positive
NPP in 7 (46,7%) subjects (score ≥ 19).
Patients with NPP have been asked about knowledge of back and leg pain
properties and differences between them. Among the 7 subjects with NPP only
2 of them (28.6%) have known the nature of NPP and distinquish it from nociceptive
low back pain. Just these 2 of subjects also received appropriate antiNPP
medication: Conclusions: NPP in subjects with chronic low back and leg
pain has been confirmed in at least 50%. In general these patients have very
low knowledge of specific NPP and they don’t distinguish it from general LBP
troubles. Appropriate treatment has been introduced to less than one-third of
patients with NPP. More attention should be paid to the diagnosis, information
and treatment of the NPP in these patients.Nevropatska bolečina (NPB) je prisotna pri skoraj tretjini bolnikov s kronično bolečino v križu (BVK). V raziskavo smo vključili bolnike s kronično BVK in pridruženimi simptomi lumboishialgije z namenom ugotoviti prisotnosti in intenzitete NPB, poznavanja bolnikov glede narave bolečine v spodnjem udu in pogostnosti primerne medikamentozne terapije. Metode: V klinično epidemiološki raziskavi je sodelovalo 15 bolnikov obeh spolov in starosti Prisotnost NPB je bila preverjena s vprašalnikoma DN4 in Pain Detect, inteziteta pa z VAS. Rezultati: Pri 15 preiskovancih je bila NPB z DN4 (ocena ≥ 4) ugotovljena pri 13 (86,7%). Pain DETECT (ocena ≥ 19) je potrdil NPB kot pozitivno pri 7 (46,7%). Preiskovanci z NPB so bili vprašani glede poznavanja narave bolečine v križu in spodnjem udu in razlikovanju med njima. Med 7 preiskovanci z NPB sta samo dva (28,6%) poznala naravo NPB in jo ločevala od nociceptivne BVK. Samo ta 2 preiskovanca sta tudi imela uvedeno ustrezno medikamentozno terapijo.
Zaključki: NPB pri bolnikih s kronično BVK in bolečino v spodnjem udu je bila potrjena pri skoraj 50% preiskovancev. Večinoma ti bolniki slabo poznajo posebnosti NPB in je ne ločijo od splošne BVK. Ustrezna medikametozna terapija je bila uvedena pri manj kot tretjini preiskovancev z NPB. Več pozornosti je potrebno posvetiti diagnozi, informacijam in zdravljenju NPB pri tovrstnih bolnikih
