A follow-up study of 14 young adults with complex regional pain syndrome type I

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the present symptom experience and functional status of 27 young adults with Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome, now known as Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) type I. All were originally diagnosed and studied more than 12 years ago. Only 15 subjects could be located; 14 participated in this research. A descriptive exploratory research design was utilized. A tool was designed to gather data about daily living variables, psychosocial variables, and symptom variables. Although many questions required the use of Likert scales, there were some open-ended questions to capture the qualitative descriptions of the participants' symptom experiences. Findings contribute to the clinical literature about CRPS and its effects on clients over time.