Pain syndrome in rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract

Subjects and methods. One hundred and eighty-three patients with valid rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were examined to study the specific fea tures of chronic pain syndrome. The DN4 neuropathic pain diagnostic questionnaire was used to divide all the patients into 2 groups: 1) 78 patients with the neuropathic component of pain (NCP) and 2) 105 patients without the latter. Results. A clinical neurological examination could reveal peripheral nervous system lesion in 96% of Group 1 patients and in 4% of Group 2 ones. The patients with NCP were ascertained to be older, they were longer ill with RA, had higher clinical, X-ray stages and functional class, as well as higher pain intensity. However, no differences were found between the two groups in the values of disease activity (DAS 28) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate. There was a high rate (71%) of depressive disorders, the prevalence and degree of which in RA patients were determined by the characteristics of disease severity and did not depend on the presence of NCP. Discussion. The performed study demonstrated that, along with an obligate nociceptive mechanism, the patients with RA had neurogenic and psychogenic components of pain in 43 and 71% of cases, respectively. Consequently, chronic pain syndrome in RA is commonly mixed and both the activity of the inflammatory process and the magnitude of neurogenic and psychogenic components should be borne in mind for optimal pain control.