Table 1.
Characteristics of the patients with CNP and PNP, N=334
| Characteristic | Central N=53 |
Peripheral N=281 |
p |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sex: females [n/N available (%)] | 33/53 (62.3) | 176/277 (63.5) | 0.860a |
| Current age (years) [mean (SD)] | 59.3 (15.8) | 56.6 (15.5) | 0.243b |
| Ethnicity: | N available=53 | N available=280 | 0.033c |
| Caucasian [n (%)] | 38 (71.7) | 236 (84.3) | |
| Latin American [n (%)] | 15 (28.3) | 40 (14.3) | |
| Arab | 0 (0) | 4 (1.4) | |
| Work status: | N available=53 | N available=280 | 0.306a |
| Retired [n (%)] | 21 (39.6) | 97 (34.6) | |
| Active (employed/housewife) [n (%)] | 12 (22.6) | 96 (34.3) | |
| Temporary/permanent sick leave [n (%)] | 16 (30.2) | 76 (27.1) | |
| Unemployed/student [n (%)] | 4 (7.5) | 11 (3.9) | |
| Type of contact: initial (vs follow-up) [n/N available (%)] | 14/51 (27.5) | 75/273 (27.5) | 0.997a |
| Referral: | N available=52 | N available=279 | 0.001a |
| Traumatology [n (%)] | 11 (23.4) | 70 (30.7) | |
| Neurosurgery/neurology [n (%)] | 24 (51.1) | 50 (21.9) | |
| Primary care [n (%)] | 5 (9.6) | 51 (18.3) | |
| Other (<5% each) [n (%)] | 12 (25.5) | 108 (47.4) | |
| Pain topography: | N available=50 | N available=237 | |
| Head–column–trunk [n (%)] | 32 (64.0) | 68 (28.7) | <0.001a |
| Upper limbs [n (%)] | 20 (40.0) | 68 (28.7) | 0.115a |
| Lower limbs [n (%)] | 25 (50.0) | 102 (43.0) | 0.368a |
| Other [n (%)] | 1 (2.0) | 14 (5.9) | 0.210c |
| Duration of pain symptoms (years) [mean (SD)] | 5.6 (7.3) | 4.1 (5.3) | 0.074d |
| Duration of pain symptoms (categorized): | N available=53 | N available=279 | 0.513a |
| <6 months [n (%)] | 9 (17.0) | 50 (17.9) | |
| 6–12 months [n (%)] | 9 (17.0) | 66 (23.7) | |
| >12 months [n (%)] | 35 (66.0) | 163 (58.4) | |
| Current pain intensity (cm in VAS) [mean (SD)] | 6.5 (1.9) | 6.4 (2.1) | 0.894d |
| Current pain intensity (categorized) | N available=53 | N available=278 | 0.802a |
| Mild pain (VAS score 0–3) [n (%)] | 5 (9.4) | 32 (11.5) | |
| Moderate pain (VAS score 4–5) [n (%)] | 9 (17.0) | 54 (19.4) | |
| Severe pain (VAS score 6–10) [n (%)] | 39 (73.6) | 192 (69.1) | |
| Comorbidities: | N available=49 | N available=236 | |
| Anxiety [n (%)] | 27 (51.1) | 122 (51.7) | 0.664a |
| Depression [n (%)] | 35 (71.4) | 100 (42.4) | <0.001a |
| Sleep disorders [n (%)] | 35 (71.4) | 138 (58.5) | 0.091a |
| Other [n (%)] | 6 (12.2) | 30 (12.7) | 0.929a |
| Numbers of comorbidities: | N available=49 | N available=236 | 0.011a |
| 0 [n (%)] | 1 (2) | 18 (7.6) | |
| 1 [n (%)] | 15 (30.6) | 114 (48.3) | |
| 2e [n (%)] | 17 (34.7) | 66 (28.0) | |
| 3 [n (%)] | 16 (32.7) | 38 (16.1) | |
| Receive adequate treatment: | N available=53 | N available=262 | 0.276a |
| Badly or under-treated [n (%)] | 25 (47.2) | 145 (55.3) | |
| Suitably treated [n (%)] | 28 (52.8) | 117 (44.7) | |
| Current health status (EuroQol-5D) [mean (SD)] | 43.2 (21.3) | 52.3 (21.7) | 0.005d |
| Level of certainty about neuropathic pain: | N available=53 | N available=281 | 0.035a |
| Definite [n (%)] | 43 (81.1) | 208 (74.0) | |
| Probable [n (%)] | 5 (9.4) | 62 (22.1) | |
| Possible [n (%)] | 5 (9.4) | 11 (3.9) |
Notes:
a
Pearson’s chi-squared test.
b
Student t-test.
c
Likelihood ratio.
d
Mann–Whitney U test.
e
In the CNP group, 21 (42.9%) patients suffered from anxiety and depression, 20 (40.8%) suffered from anxiety and sleep disorders and 24 (49%) suffered from depression and sleep disorders. In the PNP group, 55 (23.3%) patients suffered from anxiety and depression, 68 (28.8%) suffered from anxiety and sleep disorders and 57 (24.2%) suffered from depression and sleep disorders.
Abbreviations: CNP, central neuropathic pain; PNP, peripheral neuropathic pain; VAS, visual analog scale; EuroQol-5D, EuroQol-5 Dimensions.