ABSTRACT
Objective: To evaluate central post-stroke pain (CPSP) in stroke patients by using PainDETECT questionnaire, and to determine its associations with clinical parameters, depression, fatigue and quality of life (QoL).
Methods: Ninety stroke patients and 50 controls were included. PainDETECT questionnaire was used for determining CPSP. Motor functions were assessed by Brunnstrom motor grading and functional status by Modified Barthel Index (MBI). Spasticity was evaluated by Modified Ashworth Scale. Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) was used for assessing fatigue, Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) for QoL, and Beck Depression Scale (BDS) for depression. Pain was measured by Visual Analog Scale-pain (VAS-pain).
Results: Prevalence of CPSP was 18.89% in stroke patients. Stroke patients with CPSP had higher scores in 37 stroke duration, VAS-pain, FSS, BDS and pain, physical mobility, energy, sleep, social isolation and emotional reaction subgroups of NHP than ones without CPSP (p <0.05). There was no difference in age at follow-up, age at stroke onset and modified Barthel Index among groups (p >0.05). PainDETECT was found to be significantly correlated with FSS, BDS and all subgroups of NHP (p <0.05). No association was found between PainDETECT and clinical parameters of the patients including age, gender, anatomical localization of lesion, stroke subtype based on stroke aetiology, side of stroke, motor functions and muscle spasticity (p >0.05).
Conclusion: CPSP is associated with fatigue, depression and deterioration in QoL in terms of physical, social and emotional functioning in stroke patients. A better understanding of neural mechanisms explaining CPSP in stroke will help us find more effective treatment strategies.
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