%0 Journal Article
%T Pain and Its Consequences in Quality of Life: A Study with WHOQOL-Bref in Leprosy Patients with Neuropathic Pain
%A Felipe J. J. Reis
%A Maria Katia Gomes
%A J¨¦ssica Rodrigues
%A Artur Pad£¿o Gosling
%A Ana Paula Fontana
%A Antonio Jos¨¦ Ledo A. Cunha
%J ISRN Tropical Medicine
%D 2013
%R 10.1155/2013/987683
%X Chronic neuropathic pain emerges as a challenge in the treatment of leprosy patients after multidrug therapy discharge. The aim of this study was to determine the quality of life and its repercussions in leprosy patients with chronic pain. We studied male and female patients with chronic neuropathic pain in the last year. Neuropathic pain was confirmed using Douleur Neuropathique en 4 (DN4) and its intensity evaluated by visual analogue scale (VAS). A general questionnaire was applied to evaluate quality of life (WHOQOL-bref). Statistical analyses were composed by descriptive and central tendency. Spearman correlation was used to identify the relation between pain intensity, quality of life domains, and facets. Multiple linear regressions were performed to verify the influence of pain intensity on each facet. Neuropathic pain patients scored worst in physical and environment domains. The low facets were related to pain and discomfort, thinking and concentration, sexual activity, and recreation opportunities. Pain intensity has a high negative influence on psychological domain and recreation opportunities. These findings should contribute to the development of rehabilitation programs considering patients needs to improve their quality of life and true social reintegration. 1. Introduction Leprosy is a chronic granulomatous infection, principally affecting the skin and peripheral nerves, caused by Mycobacterium leprae [1]. Neuropathic pain is a common complaint due to leprosy-induced neuritis, whether spontaneous or upon palpation of a nerve trunk (silent neuritis), which may be associated with impairment of function [1¨C6]. In addition to not knowing the precise number of patients who develop disabilities after multidrug therapy (MDT), chronic pain arises as a new disabling condition during or after bacteriological treatment [7¨C12]. The International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) defined pain as an ¡°unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage, or described in terms of such damage.¡± Neuropathic pain is defined as ¡°pain arising as a direct consequence of a lesion or disease affecting the somatosensory system [13, 14]. According to new theories, pain is a subjective experience influenced by a combination of cortical mechanisms [15]. It is widely believed that pain has a profound effect on a person¡¯s quality of life (QoL). Considering that leprosy causes sensory loss, it was expected that patients do not experience pain, and it has not been well studied in leprosy [10]. Therefore, a lack of
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