title: The prevalence of pain in multiple sclerosis: a multicenter cross-sectional study.
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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, P.A. Micone Hospital, Genova, Italy. csolaro@libero.it
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Solaro
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Brichetto
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Amato
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cocco
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Colombo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: D'Aleo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gasperini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ghezzi
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Martinelli
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Milanese
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Patti
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Trojano
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Verdun
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Mancardi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001416:Back Pain / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000150:complications*; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D015995:Prevalence; D013035:Spasm / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014277:Trigeminal Neuralgia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics