The prevalence of pain in multiple sclerosis: a multicenter cross-sectional study

Neurology. 2004 Sep 14;63(5):919-21. doi: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000137047.85868.d6.

Abstract

In a multicenter cross-sectional study, the authors assessed pain in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) using a symptom-oriented approach. Out of 2,077 questionnaires, we used 1,672 for data analysis. Pain and frequencies included trigeminal neuralgia 2%, Lhermitte's sign 9%, dysesthetic pain 18.1%, back pain 16.4%, and painful tonic spasms 11%. Comparison between different groups showed significant differences for age, Expanded Disability Status Scale, disease duration, and disease course, but not for sex. This study underlines the relevance of pain in the clinical history of MS.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Analgesics / therapeutic use
  • Back Pain / epidemiology
  • Back Pain / etiology
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Italy / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Multiple Sclerosis / complications*
  • Pain / drug therapy
  • Pain / epidemiology*
  • Pain / etiology
  • Prevalence
  • Spasm / epidemiology
  • Spasm / etiology
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Trigeminal Neuralgia / epidemiology
  • Trigeminal Neuralgia / etiology

Substances

  • Analgesics