Montero Homs J, Gutiérrez-Rivas E, Pardo Fernández J, Navarro Darder C
Hospital Bellvitge, Barcelona.
Neurologia. 2005 Oct;20(8):385-9.
Neuropathic pain is defined as a pain initiated or caused by a lesion or dysfunction in the nervous system. The objectives of the study were to estimate the prevalence and incidence of neuropathic pain in hospital neurology units and primary care centres, to characterize the clinical profile of the patient with neuropathic pain and to know the most frequent treatments in the pharmacological management of this type of pain.
Observational, cross-sectional epidemiological survey carried out in 36 Neurology Units of the national territory (24 primary care centres and 12 hospitals). During 20 consecutive days neurologists collected the diagnoses of all the attended patients by any reason, up to 30 patients/day. In parallel the 20 first consecutive patients with neuropathic pain were chosen for their characterization in depth by means of a specific questionnaire.
A total of 12,688 patients were attended and a total of 13,555 diagnoses were collected through 713 consultation days. The most frequent diagnosis was migraine/cephalea, with a prevalence of 23.40% (95% CI: 22.66%-24.14%). Neuropathic pain represented the eighth more frequent diagnosis, with a prevalence in neurology units of 3.88% (95% CI: 3.54%- 4.22%). The prevalence of neuropathic pain was 2.92% in primary care centres and 6.09% in hospital units (p < 0.01). The daily incidence of new neuropathic pain cases was 1.24% (95% CI: 1.05%-1.53%); 1.14% in primary care neurology centres and 1.45% in hospital units.
The data obtained indicate that neuropathic pain is the eighth more frequent diagnosis in the neurology units. Medical assistance request by neuropathic pain is higher in the hospital units.
神经性疼痛被定义为由神经系统的损伤或功能障碍引发或导致的疼痛。本研究的目的是估计医院神经科病房和初级保健中心神经性疼痛的患病率和发病率，描述神经性疼痛患者的临床特征，并了解这类疼痛药物治疗中最常用的疗法。
在全国36个神经科病房（24个初级保健中心和12家医院）开展观察性横断面流行病学调查。在连续20天里，神经科医生收集所有因任何原因就诊患者的诊断信息，每天最多收集30例患者。同时，选取连续就诊的20例首发性神经性疼痛患者，通过特定问卷进行深入特征分析。
共诊治12,688例患者，通过713个会诊日共收集到13,555份诊断信息。最常见的诊断是偏头痛/头痛，患病率为23.40%（95%置信区间：22.66%-24.14%）。神经性疼痛是第八常见的诊断，在神经科病房的患病率为3.88%（95%置信区间：3.54%-4.22%）。初级保健中心神经性疼痛的患病率为2.92%，医院病房为6.09%（p<0.01）。新发性神经性疼痛病例的每日发病率为1.24%（95%置信区间：1.05%-1.53%）；初级保健神经科中心为1.14%，医院病房为1.45%。
所获数据表明神经性疼痛是神经科病房第八常见的诊断。医院病房因神经性疼痛寻求医疗救助的情况更多。
