Socio-demographic and clinical profile of chronic pain with neuropathic characteristics in sub-Saharan African elderly

• Published in: European journal of pain 2013-07, Vol.17 (6), p.939-943
• Main Authors: Lekpa, F.K., Ndongo, S., Ka, O., Zeba, D., Compaoré, C., Pouye, A., Ka, M.M., Diop, T.M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Africa South of the Sahara; Aged; Brachial Plexus Neuritis - physiopathology; Chronic Pain - diagnosis; Chronic Pain - physiopathology; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diabetic Neuropathies - physiopathology; Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Neuralgia - diagnosis; Neuralgia - physiopathology; Pain Measurement - methods; Surveys and Questionnaires
• ISSN: 1090-3801; 1532-2149
• DOI: 10.1002/j.1532-2149.2012.00243.x

Data on characteristics of neuropathic pain (NP) in sub‐Saharan Africa are scarce, especially in the elderly. We conducted this study to appreciate the socio‐demographic and clinical profile of chronic pain (CP) with neuropathic characteristics in sub‐Saharan African elderly with musculoskeletal pain. From January to December 2011, we performed a cross‐sectional study in all Rheumatology outpatients over 60 years at the Center for Gerontology and Geriatrics, Dakar, Senegal. In this study, we included patients who experienced musculoskeletal pain for 3 months or longer (CP) and with a DN4 score ≥ 4 (NP). A complete clinical examination was performed to make the diagnosis of NP ‘definite’ or ‘probable’, and to identify the aetiologies of NP. During the study period, 698 outpatients were examined. There were 394 out of the 549 patients over 60 years who reported CP. Among them, 28 patients (7.1%) scored ≥4 on the DN4 questionnaire. Female patients, low educational attainment, manual professions, non‐workers and diabetes were associated with NP (p