Institute for Community Medicine, University of Greifswald, Walther-Rathenau-Strasse 48, 17475 Greifswald, Germany.
Eur J Pain. 2009 Nov;13(10):1030-5. doi: 10.1016/j.ejpain.2008.12.003. Epub 2009 Feb 6.
Although there is increasing knowledge of the prevalence of neuropathic pain, little has been done to isolate the cost of neuropathic pain, especially with reference to the frequent complaint of back pain.
To estimate the prevalence of neuropathic components in back pain and associated costs.
We used available epidemiological data to model the prevalence of neuropathic back pain in the general adult population, combining three studies: painDETECT 1, painDETECT 2, and the German back pain research network (GBPRN) study, representing a total of 21,047 subjects. The painDETECT screening questionnaire was used in the former two surveys to assess neuropathic pain components. Costing data were obtained from 1718 participants in the GBPRN survey.
According to our model, approximately 4% of the general adult population experienced back pain with a neuropathic component. Owing to the greater severity of neuropathic pain, its costs were found to be disproportionately high: among patients with persistent back pain, typical costs associated with a person suffering neuropathic back pain were higher than those of an average back pain patient, and as much as 67% higher than those of a patient with nociceptive back pain only. Approximately, 16% of the total costs associated with back pain were attributable to pain with a neuropathic component.
Back pain with neuropathic components is likely to affect a relevant proportion of the general adult population and cause a disproportionately high share of back pain-related costs.
尽管人们对神经性疼痛的患病率有了越来越多的了解，但很少有人专门研究神经性疼痛的成本，尤其是针对腰痛这一常见的疼痛症状。
评估神经性腰痛的患病率及其相关成本。
我们利用现有的流行病学数据，通过结合三项研究（疼痛 DETECT 1 研究、疼痛 DETECT 2 研究和德国腰痛研究网络[GBPRN]研究）来构建一般成年人群中神经性腰痛的患病率模型，这些研究共纳入了 21047 名受试者。前两项研究使用疼痛 DETECT 筛查问卷来评估神经性疼痛的组成部分。GBPRN 研究中的 1718 名参与者提供了成本数据。
根据我们的模型，大约有 4%的一般成年人群患有神经性腰痛。由于神经性疼痛的严重程度更高，其成本也不成比例地高：在持续性腰痛患者中，患有神经性腰痛的患者的典型成本高于一般腰痛患者，比仅有伤害性疼痛的腰痛患者高出 67%。与腰痛相关的总成本中约有 16%归因于具有神经性成分的疼痛。
具有神经性成分的腰痛可能会影响相当一部分成年人群，并导致与腰痛相关的成本中不成比例的高份额。
