Characteristics of neuropathic pain in Indonesia: A hospital based national clinical survey

ABSTRACT

We conducted a hospital based study to collect data on the clinical characteristics of neuropathic pain (NP) patients in neurology outpatients in 13 big cities in Indonesia. We aimed to identify the clinical characteristics of NP among patients with the symptoms of pain. A simple questionnaire was conducted to explore the clinical symptoms and signs. Participants who reported of NP symptom was 1,779 (21.8%) among 8,160 patients. The higher prevalence of NP was reported in 41-60 years old (n= 1,030; 57.9%). It was more prevalent in male (n=1,104; 62.1%). The group of patients with low educational level has higher prevalence of pain with NP (n=1,177; 66.1%). There are five main clinical symptoms of NP patients, pinprick sensation (n=589; 33.1%), electric shock like sensation (n=542, 30.5%), burning (n=407, 22.9%), paresthesia (n=401; 22.5%) and hyperalgesia (n=351, 19.7%). In this study, NP was mostly associated with low back pain (n=509, 28,6%), carpal tunnel syndrome (n=343; 19.3%), frozen shoulder syndrome (n=191, 10.7%), diabetic neuropathy (n=170, 9.6%) and brachialgia (n=108, 6.1%). The most frequent modality to treat NP symptoms were adjuvant analgesics, antidepressants or anticonvulsants (n=1,199; 67.4%), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (n=1,177, 66.2%), non-opioids analgesics (n=606; 34.1%), non-pharmacological treatment (n=366; 20.6%) and opioid treatments (n=100, 5.6%).