6 months together with a clinical diagnosis in 448 (254 women and 194 men) out of 58,480 patients giving a prevalence of 0.77%. 179 patients (0.31%) had diabetes neuropathy, 142 (0.24%) had postherpetic pain, 41 (0.07%) had trigeminal neuralgia, 27 (0.05%) had NP postinjury, 27 (0.05%) had NP caused by nerve entrapments, 11 (0.02%) had NP triggered by systemic diseases, and 21 (0.04%) had NP of unknown etiology.CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of CPNP in this population of primary care attenders in a rural area in Northern Italy was 0.77%. Diabetes neuropathy (0.31%) and postherpetic pain (0.24%) were the two most common subgroups of NP, followed by trigeminal neuralgia (0.07%)." />
Display options
Cite
Buono N, Thulesius H, Petrazzuoli F, et al. Postherpetic neuralgia, diabetic neuropathy, and trigeminal neuralgia - Chronic peripheral neuropathic pain in 58,480 rural Italian primary care patients. J Family Med Prim Care. 2017;6(1):110-114doi: 10.4103/2249-4863.214980.
Buono, N., Thulesius, H., Petrazzuoli, F., Castelli, E., & Cambielli, M. (2017). Postherpetic neuralgia, diabetic neuropathy, and trigeminal neuralgia - Chronic peripheral neuropathic pain in 58,480 rural Italian primary care patients. Journal of family medicine and primary care, 6(1), 110-114. https://doi.org/10.4103/2249-4863.214980
Buono, Nicola, et al. "Postherpetic neuralgia, diabetic neuropathy, and trigeminal neuralgia - Chronic peripheral neuropathic pain in 58,480 rural Italian primary care patients." Journal of family medicine and primary care vol. 6,1 (2017): 110-114. doi: https://doi.org/10.4103/2249-4863.214980
Buono N, Thulesius H, Petrazzuoli F, Castelli E, Cambielli M. Postherpetic neuralgia, diabetic neuropathy, and trigeminal neuralgia - Chronic peripheral neuropathic pain in 58,480 rural Italian primary care patients. J Family Med Prim Care. 2017 Jan-Mar;6(1):110-114. doi: 10.4103/2249-4863.214980. PMID: 29026761; PMCID: PMC5629873.
Copy Download .nbib Format: NLM
Share it on

J Family Med Prim Care. 2017 Jan-Mar;6(1):110-114. doi: 10.4103/2249-4863.214980.

Postherpetic neuralgia, diabetic neuropathy, and trigeminal neuralgia - Chronic peripheral neuropathic pain in 58,480 rural Italian primary care patients.

Journal of family medicine and primary care

Nicola Buono, Hans Thulesius, Ferdinando Petrazzuoli, Elena Castelli, Marco Cambielli

Affiliations

  1. National Society of Medical Education in General Practice (SNAMID), Caserta, Italy.
  2. Department of Research and Development, Kronoberg County Council, Växjö, Sweden.
  3. Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden.
  4. Department of Clinical Sciences in Malmö, Centre for Primary Health Care Research, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden.

PMID: 29026761 PMCID: PMC5629873 DOI: 10.4103/2249-4863.214980

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Chronic peripheral neuropathic pain (CPNP) is a condition due to peripheral nervous system diseases or injury, but its prevalence is unknown in Italian primary care.

AIM: The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence of CPNP in a rural primary care area in Northern Italy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A multicenter audit study was carried out in a rural area in Northern Italy with 113 participating general practitioners (GPs) seeing 58,480 patients >18 years during 3 months. Patients who for any reason attended GPs' surgeries and had symptoms suggestive of neuropathic pain (NP) were given the NP diagnostic questionnaire "Douleur Neuropathique en 4 Questions" (DN4) and recorded their pain level on a visual analog scale (VAS).

RESULTS: Chronic NP was established by a DN4 score of ≥4 and a VAS pain score of ≥40 mm for >6 months together with a clinical diagnosis in 448 (254 women and 194 men) out of 58,480 patients giving a prevalence of 0.77%. 179 patients (0.31%) had diabetes neuropathy, 142 (0.24%) had postherpetic pain, 41 (0.07%) had trigeminal neuralgia, 27 (0.05%) had NP postinjury, 27 (0.05%) had NP caused by nerve entrapments, 11 (0.02%) had NP triggered by systemic diseases, and 21 (0.04%) had NP of unknown etiology.

CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of CPNP in this population of primary care attenders in a rural area in Northern Italy was 0.77%. Diabetes neuropathy (0.31%) and postherpetic pain (0.24%) were the two most common subgroups of NP, followed by trigeminal neuralgia (0.07%).

Keywords: Chronic peripheral neuropathic pain; diabetes neuropathy; general practitioners; herpetic pain; neuropathic pain diagnostic questionnaire; prevalence; visual analogic scale

Conflict of interest statement

There are no conflicts of interest.

References

  1. Pain. 2005 Mar;114(1-2):29-36 - PubMed
  2. PLoS One. 2013 Sep 13;8(9):e74195 - PubMed
  3. Diabet Med. 2012 May;29(5):578-85 - PubMed
  4. J Pain. 2006 Dec;7(12):892-900 - PubMed
  5. Clin J Pain. 2007 Feb;23(2):143-9 - PubMed
  6. Rural Remote Health. 2014;14(3):2879 - PubMed
  7. Med Care Res Rev. 2002 Sep;59(3):231-65; discussion 266-71 - PubMed
  8. J Infect. 1999 Mar;38(2):116-20 - PubMed
  9. BMJ. 2007 Jul 14;335(7610):87 - PubMed
  10. J Rural Health. 2013 Spring;29(2):205-14 - PubMed
  11. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2003 May;25(5 Suppl):S4-S11 - PubMed
  12. Pain. 1983 May;16(1):87-101 - PubMed
  13. Am Fam Physician. 2011 Sep 15;84(6):690-2 - PubMed
  14. Neurol Sci. 2013 Mar;34(3):373-7 - PubMed
  15. Pain Res Manag. 2007 Spring;12(1):13-21 - PubMed
  16. Clin J Pain. 2007 Jan;23(1):15-22 - PubMed
  17. Eur J Neurol. 2010 Aug;17(8):1010-8 - PubMed
  18. Eur J Pain. 2006 Feb;10(2):127-35 - PubMed
  19. Br J Nurs. 2004 Oct 14-27;13(18):1092-7 - PubMed
  20. Am J Med. 2009 Oct;122(10 Suppl):S13-21 - PubMed
  21. J Pain. 2006 Apr;7(4):281-9 - PubMed
  22. Aust J Rural Health. 2006 Jun;14(3):134-5 - PubMed
  23. Am J Hosp Palliat Care. 2004 Mar-Apr;21(2):137-42 - PubMed
  24. Pain. 2008 Jun;136(3):380-7 - PubMed
  25. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2005 Oct;30(4):374-85 - PubMed
  26. Mayo Clin Proc. 2004 Dec;79(12):1533-45 - PubMed
  27. Neurology. 2008 Apr 29;70(18):1630-5 - PubMed
  28. Pain. 2012 Feb;153(2):342-9 - PubMed
  29. J Community Health Nurs. 2002 Winter;19(4):213-24 - PubMed
  30. Pain Med. 2004 Mar;5 Suppl 1:S9-S27 - PubMed
  31. Pain Pract. 2006 Mar;6(1):27-33 - PubMed

Publication Types