title: Neuropathic pain in patients with upper-extremity nerve injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this review was to present an analysis of the literature of the outcome studies reported in patients following traumatic upper-extremity (UE) nerve injuries (excluding amputation), to assess the presence of an association between neuropathic pain and outcome in patients following traumatic UE nerve injuries, and to provide recommendations for inclusion of more comprehensive outcome measures by clinicians who treat these patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A Medline and CINAHL literature search retrieved 48 articles. This review identified very few studies of patients with peripheral nerve injury that reported neuropathic pain. When pain was reported, visual analogue or numeric rating scales were most frequently used; standardized questionnaires measuring pain or psychosocial function were rarely administered. Recent evidence shows substantial long-term disability and pain in patients following peripheral nerve injury.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To better understand neuropathic pain in patients following peripheral nerve injury, future outcome studies should include valid, reliable measures of physical impairment, pain, disability, health-related quality of life, and psychosocial functioning.
authors.affiliation: Christine B. Novak, BScPT, MSc, PhD(c): Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario.
authors.forename: Christine B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Novak
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Katz