Pain Qualities and Satisfaction with Therapy: A Survey of Subjects with Neuropathic Pain. Issue 11 (24th July 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cepeda, M. Soledad; Wilcox, Marsha; Levitan, Bennett
• Is Part Of: Pain medicine. Volume 14:Issue 11(2013)
• Page Start: 1745
• Page End: 1756
• Publication Date: 2013-07-24
• Subjects: Pain -- Periodicals; Pain -- Treatment -- Periodicals; Analgesics -- Periodicals; Pain -- Periodicals; Pain Management -- Periodicals; Douleur -- Périodiques; Douleur -- Traitement -- Périodiques; Analgésiques -- Périodiques; Analgésique; Soulagement de la douleur; Périodique électronique (Descripteur de forme); Ressource Internet (Descripteur de forme); 616.047205
• DOI: 10.1111/pme.12210
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1526-2375

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Abstract</title> <sec id="pme12210-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Objectives</title> <p>Pain qualities may reflect neurobiological mechanisms and guide therapy. The objective was to assess whether pain qualities were associated with satisfaction with pain relief in subjects with neuropathic pain.</p> </sec> <sec id="pme12210-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>Subjects responded to a web survey that included current pain qualities, type of medications, and satisfaction with pain relief.</p> </sec> <sec id="pme12210-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>A total of 1, 502 subjects, primarily with diabetic neuropathy, completed the survey and were grouped into six clusters based on their pain qualities. Subjects in the <italic>Broadest spectrum</italic> endorsed all pain types (paroxysmal, throbbing, paresthesias, evoked pain, and numbness). Subjects in the <italic>Broad spectrum</italic> endorsed all types of pain, but to a lesser degree. Subjects in the <italic>Sharp paroxysmal and paresthesias</italic> endorsed mainly stabbing‐like pain, subjects in the <italic>throbbing dull pain</italic> endorsed throbbing and pressure, subjects in the <italic>numbness</italic> endorsed mainly numbness, and subjects in the <italic>least affected</italic> endorsed few symptoms. The degree of satisfaction in each cluster varied with the type of medication. Two clusters were dissatisfied with antidepressants: subjects with paroxysmal pain and paresthesias (odds ratio [OR] = 0.38; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.19–0.74) and subjects with the broadest spectrum of symptoms (OR = 0.63; 95% CI, 0.41–0.97). Two clusters were dissatisfied with opioids: subjects with throbbing and dull pain (OR = 0.44; 95% CI, 0.26–0.75) and subjects with numbness (OR = 0.48; 95% CI, 0.23–0.99).</p> </sec> <sec id="pme12210-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Discussion</title> <p>Pain qualities may help guide pain therapy and permit individualization of therapy.</p> </sec> </abstract>