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Social impact of peripheral nerve injuries

  • Published:
HAND

Abstract

Background

Disorders involving the peripheral nervous system can have devastating impacts on patients’ daily functions and routines. There is a lack of consideration of the impact of injury on social/emotional well-being and function.

Methods

We performed a retrospective database and chart review of adult patients presenting between 2010 and 2012 with peripheral nerve compression, brachial plexus injury, thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS), or neuromas. At the initial assessment, patients completed a questionnaire used to obtain demographic and psychosocial variable data including the (1) average level of pain over the last month, (2) self-perceived depression, (3) how much pain impacts quality of life (QoL), (4) current level of stress, and (5) ability to cope with stress. Statistical analyses were used to assess the differences between the dependent variables and diagnostic and demographic groups.

Results

This study included 490 patients (mean age 50 ± 15 years); the most common diagnosis was single nerve compression (n = 171). Impact on QoL was significantly greater in patients with TOS, cutaneous peroneal compressions, and neuroma versus single site nerve compressions. Average pain, impact on QoL, and stress at home were significantly higher in females versus males. Impact on QoL was correlated with average pain, depression, stress at home, and ability to cope with stress at home.

Conclusions

Our study demonstrates that patients with single site nerve compression neuropathies experience fewer negative psychosocial effects compared to patients with more proximal upper extremity peripheral nerve disorders and neuromas. The impact on QoL was strongly correlated with pain and depression, where patients with neuromas and painful peroneal nerve entrapments reported greater detriments to QoL.

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Conflict of Interest

Danielle M. Wojtkiewicz declares that she has no conflict of interest.

James Saunders declares that he has no conflict of interest.

Leahthan Domeshek declares that she has no conflict of interest.

Christine B. Novak declares that she has no conflict of interest.

Vicki Kaskutas declares that she has no conflict of interest.

Susan E. Mackinnon declares that she has no conflict of interest.

Statement of Animal and Human Rights

All procedures followed were in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation (institutional and national) and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2008 (5).

Statement of Informed Consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Occupational Therapy, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA

    Danielle M. Wojtkiewicz & Vicki Kaskutas

  2. Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, Suite 1150, Northwest Tower, 660 South Euclid Avenue, Campus Box 8238, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA

    James Saunders, Leahthan Domeshek & Susan E. Mackinnon

  3. Hand and Upper Extremity Program, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Christine B. Novak

Authors
  1. Danielle M. Wojtkiewicz
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  2. James Saunders
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  3. Leahthan Domeshek
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  4. Christine B. Novak
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  5. Vicki Kaskutas
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  6. Susan E. Mackinnon
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Susan E. Mackinnon.

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Wojtkiewicz, D.M., Saunders, J., Domeshek, L. et al. Social impact of peripheral nerve injuries. HAND 10, 161–167 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11552-014-9692-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11552-014-9692-0

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