title: Prevalence of neuropathic pain among patients with chronic low-back pain in the Arabian Gulf Region assessed using the leeds assessment of neuropathic symptoms and signs pain scale.
abstract: This prospective, multicentre, epidemiological study was designed to assess the prevalence of neuropathic pain among adults with chronic low-back pain (LBP) in the Arabian Gulf region. A total of 1134 patients recruited from the outpatient medical setting were assessed using the Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs (LANSS) Pain Scale. A LANSS Pain Scale score ≥ 12 was used to differentiate between patients with a neuropathic contribution to their pain and those with nociceptive pain only. Using this criterion, 628 patients (55%) were classified as having neuropathic pain. Factors associated with neuropathic pain included advanced age, female gender and diabetes with or without hypertension. It was concluded that neuropathic pain is a major contributor to chronic LBP in the Gulf region, and that the LANSS Pain Scale is a practical and rapidly administered screening test for distinguishing the relative contributions of neuropathic and nociceptive pain in patients with chronic LBP that resulted in the use of a more appropriate treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Khalifa bin Zayed Hospital, Ajman, UAE.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: El Sissi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arnaout
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Chaarani
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fouad
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: El Assuity
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zalzala
authors.forename: Y E L
authors.initials: YE
authors.lastname: Dershaby
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Youseif
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008877:Middle East / Q000453:epidemiology; D009437:Neuralgia / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009619:Nociceptors / Q000378:metabolism; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D055815:Young Adult