• Palma Ciaramitaro, Luca Padua, Grazia Devigili, Eugenia Rota, Stefano Tamburin, Roberto Eleopra, Giorgio Cruccu, Andrea Truini, and Neuropathic pain special interest group of the Italian Neurological Society.
• Clinical Neurophysiology, Neuroscience Department, AOU Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Torino, Italy.
• Pain Med. 2017 Dec 1; 18 (12): 2428-2432.

ObjectivePrevalence and clinical characteristics of neuropathic pain due to traumatic brachial plexus injury.DesignObservational epidemiological study.SettingHospital-based multicenter study.SubjectsOne hundred seven prospectively enrolled patients with brachial plexus injury.MethodsAll the patients underwent clinical examination and neurophysiological testing for a definitive diagnosis of the brachial plexus lesion. The DN4 questionnaire was used to identify neuropathic pain, and the Neuropathic Pain Symptom Inventory (NPSI) to evaluate the different symptoms of neuropathic pain. The SF36 questionnaire and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were used to assess quality of life and mood disturbances in patients with neuropathic pain.ResultsOf the 107 enrolled patients, 74 had pain (69%); neuropathic pain, as assessed by means of the DN4, was identified in 60 (56%) of these patients. According to the NPSI, the most frequent and severe pain type was the spontaneous burning pain. Clinical and neurophysiological findings showed that pain is unrelated to age but is associated with the severity of peripheral nerve damage. The SF36 questionnaire and BDI showed that neuropathic pain impairs quality of life and causes depression.ConclusionsOur study provides information on the prevalence, characteristics, and variables associated with neuropathic pain due to traumatic brachial plexus injuries that might provide a basis for improving the clinical management of this condition.© 2017 American Academy of Pain Medicine. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

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