title: Identification of patients with neuropathic pain using electronic primary care records.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic neuropathic pain is a common condition which is challenging to treat. Many people with neuropathic pain are managed in the community, so primary care records may allow more appropriate subjects to be recruited for clinical studies.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We  investigated whether primary care records can be used to identify patients with diseases associated with neuropathic pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analysed demographic, diagnostic and prescribing data from over 100 000 primary care electronic patient records in one part of London, UK.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of diagnoses associated with chronic neuropathic pain was 13 per 1000, with the elderly, women and white patients experiencing the greatest burden of disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Computerised health records offer an excellent opportunity to improve the identification of patients  for clinical research in complex conditions like chronic neuropathic pain. To make full use of data from these records, standardisation of clinical coding and consensus on diagnostic criteria are needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Primary Care & Public Health, Imperial College, London, UK. c.gajria@imperial.ac.uk
authors.forename: Camille
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gajria
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: Ruthie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Birger
authors.forename: Ricky
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Banarsee
authors.forename: David Lh
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Field
authors.forename: Andrew Sc
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Rice
authors.forename: Azeem
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Majeed
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D035843:Biomedical Research; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D057286:Electronic Health Records; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008131:London / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009437:Neuralgia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology; D015995:Prevalence