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Neuropathic Pain Among Community-Dwelling Older People: A Clinical Study in Finland

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Abstract

Background

Neuropathic pain is more common among older people than in the general population, and the efficacy of medical treatment often remains unsatisfactory.

Objective

The aim of this study was to assess the presence, diagnostic certainty, etiology and treatment of neuropathic pain in community-dwelling older people with chronic pain.

Methods

Independently living older people aged 75, 80 and 85 years subject to communal preventive home visits with chronic pain were invited to a clinical pain examination by a geriatrician.

Results

Overall, 106 patients consented to participate in the clinical study. Neuropathic pain was diagnosed in 51 (48 %) patients, with 75 % of pain states definite and 25 % probable neuropathic pain. The most common etiology was degenerative disease of the spinal column causing radiculopathy. At the study visit, 11 patients (22 % of neuropathic pain patients) were receiving medication that was demonstrated to be effective against neuropathic pain. The geriatrician recommended a trial of a new medicine for 17 patients, but only six continued the medication going forward.

Conclusions

Neuropathic pain was surprisingly common in our cohort. Finding effective pain medication is challenging due to comorbidities, possible side effects, and vulnerability in older age. Other pain management methods should be considered.

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Acknowledgments

Susanna Rapo-Pylkkö, Maija Haanpää and Helena Liira participated in the design of the study and writing of this article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Kirkkonummi Health Center, Virkatie 1, 02400, Kirkkonummi, Finland

    Susanna Rapo-Pylkkö

  2. Unit of Primary Health Care, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland

    Susanna Rapo-Pylkkö & Helena Liira

  3. Mutual Insurance Company Etera, Helsinki, Finland

    Maija Haanpää

  4. Department of Neurosurgery, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland

    Maija Haanpää

  5. General Practice, School of Primary, Aboriginal and Rural Health Care, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia

    Helena Liira

Authors
  1. Susanna Rapo-Pylkkö
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  2. Maija Haanpää
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  3. Helena Liira
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Susanna Rapo-Pylkkö.

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Funding

This study received financial support from the research fund of Orton, and all authors appreciate the support for this study.

Conflict of interest

Susanna Rapo-Pylkkö, Maija Haanpää and Helena Liira declare that they have no conflicts of interest relevant to the content of this study.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with ethical standards of the Institutional Research Committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Helsinki University Central Hospital (permission 128/13/03/00/09), and written informed consent was obtained from all participants.

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Rapo-Pylkkö, S., Haanpää, M. & Liira, H. Neuropathic Pain Among Community-Dwelling Older People: A Clinical Study in Finland. Drugs Aging 32, 737–742 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40266-015-0294-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40266-015-0294-5

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