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Neuropathic pain in patients with Charcot-Marie-Tooth type 1A

Neurological Sciences volume 41, pages 625–630 (2020)Cite this article

Abstract

Background

Only several studies analyzed the characteristics of neuropathic pain (NeP) more extensively in patients with Charcot-Marie-Tooth type 1A (CMT1A). Therefore, we sought to determine the frequency and features of NeP in CMT1A patients and to assess the association between NeP and sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of patients with CMT1A.

Methods

Our research included 51 genetically diagnosed CMT1A patients. The International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) criteria were used for diagnosis of NeP. PainDETECT questionnaire (PD-Q) was used to assess NeP features. The Medical Research Council (MRC) Sum Score, CMT Neuropathy Score (CMTNS), Overall Neuropathy Limitation Scale (ONLS) score, and Beck Depression Inventory were also used.

Results

NeP was present in 15 (29.4%) patients with CMT1A. The average intensity of pain was 5.7 ± 2.2 out of 10. The most sensitive neuropathic symptoms were numbness, then tingling, and burning sensations, while the most specific symptom was allodynia. Patients with NeP more frequently reported pain in the back (p < 0.01) and the trunk (p < 0.05). Patients with NeP had more pronounced disability of the upper extremities and overall disability, as assessed by the ONLS score (p < 0.05). Depression was more frequent in patients with NeP compared with patients without NeP (66.7 to 13.9%, p < 0.01).

Conclusion

NeP was present in almost one-third of the patients with CMT1A and it was moderate on average. Presence of NeP was associated with worse functional disability and depression.

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Affiliations

  1. Neurology Clinic, Clinical Center of Serbia, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, 6, Dr Subotic Street, Belgrade, 11 000, Serbia

    Bogdan Bjelica, Stojan Peric, Ivana Basta, Ivo Bozovic, Aleksandra Kacar, Ana Marjanovic, Vukan Ivanovic, Marija Brankovic, Milena Jankovic & Vidosava Rakocevic Stojanovic

  2. Institute of Human Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia

    Ivana Novakovic

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  1. Bogdan Bjelica
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  2. Stojan Peric
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  3. Ivana Basta
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  4. Ivo Bozovic
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  5. Aleksandra Kacar
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  6. Ana Marjanovic
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  11. Vidosava Rakocevic Stojanovic
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Stojan Peric.

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This study was approved by the Ethical Committee of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, and informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Bjelica, B., Peric, S., Basta, I. et al. Neuropathic pain in patients with Charcot-Marie-Tooth type 1A. Neurol Sci 41, 625–630 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-019-04142-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-019-04142-5

Keywords

  • Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1A
  • Neuropathic pain
  • Disability
  • Depression