title: High prevalence of neuropathic pain in the hand of patients with traumatic brachial plexus injury: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the pain profile of patients with traumatic brachial plexus injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled 65 patients with traumatic brachial plexus injury. The Douleur Neuropathique 4 questionnaire was used to classify pain and the SF-36 was used to evaluate quality of life.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patients with traumatic brachial plexus injury were predominantly young male victims of motorcycle accidents. Pain was present in 75.4% of the individuals and 79% presented with neuropathic pain, mostly located in the hands (30.41%). The use of auxiliary devices (p = 0.05) and marital status (p = 0.03) were both independent predictors of pain. Pain also impacted negatively on the quality of life (p = 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pain is frequent in patients with traumatic brachial plexus injury. Despite the peripheral nervous system injury, nociceptive pain is not unusual. Pain evaluation, including validated instruments, is essential to guide optimal clinical management of patients with the condition.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal da Bahia, Faculdade de Medicina, Programa de Graduação em Medicina e Saúde, Salvador BA, Brasil.|Faculdade de Medicina Baiana e Saúde Pública, Salvador BA, Brasil.
authors.forename: Marcus V B
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Santana
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal da Bahia, Faculdade de Medicina, Salvador BA, Brasil.
authors.forename: Mauro T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Bina
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal da Bahia, Faculdade de Medicina, Salvador BA, Brasil.
authors.forename: Matheus G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Paz
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal da Bahia, Faculdade de Medicina, Salvador BA, Brasil.
authors.forename: Scheila N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina, Departamento de Neurologia, São Paulo SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Manoel J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.affiliation: Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina, Departamento de Neurologia, São Paulo SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Irina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Raicher
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto Deolindo Couto de Neurologia, Rio de Janeiro RJ, Brasil.
authors.forename: José V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.affiliation: Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina, Departamento de Neurologia, São Paulo SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Daniel C Araujo
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal da Bahia, Faculdade de Medicina, Programa de Graduação em Medicina e Saúde, Salvador BA, Brasil.
authors.forename: Abrahão F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Baptista
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D020516:Brachial Plexus Neuropathies / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D009437:Neuralgia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D059226:Nociceptive Pain / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D010147:Pain Measurement; D015995:Prevalence; D011788:Quality of Life; D055815:Young Adult