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Chronic pain in Machado-Joseph disease: a frequent and disabling symptom

Marcondes C França1, Anelyssa D'Abreu, Joseph H Friedman

  • 1Department of Neurology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas-UNICAMP, Rua Tessália Vieira de Camargo, 126 Cidade Universitaria Zeferino Vaz, Campinas, SP, Brazil.

Archives of Neurology
|December 12, 2007
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Chronic pain affects nearly half of Machado-Joseph disease (MJD) patients, significantly more than controls. Pain, often disabling and located in the lower back, is a key feature of this neurodegenerative ataxia.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Neurodegenerative Diseases
  • Pain Medicine

Background:

  • Machado-Joseph disease (MJD), a common inherited ataxia, presents with varied symptoms.
  • While pain is frequently reported by MJD patients, its prevalence and characteristics are not well-documented.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the frequency of chronic pain in MJD patients.
  • To compare pain prevalence between MJD patients, healthy controls, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 70 MJD patients, 70 healthy controls, and 20 ALS patients were assessed.
  • Standardized pain questionnaires and visual analog scales (VAS) were used to evaluate pain frequency and intensity.

Main Results:

  • 47% of MJD patients reported chronic pain, compared to 9% of controls and 15% of ALS patients.
  • Musculoskeletal pain, particularly in the lower back and lower limbs, was most common.
  • Longer CAG repeat expansions in MJD patients correlated with increased pain.

Conclusions:

  • Chronic pain is significantly more prevalent in MJD patients than in control groups.
  • Pain is a frequent, often disabling symptom in MJD, commonly affecting the lower back.

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