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Chronic abdominal pain in long-term spinal cord injury: a follow-up study
S D Nielsen1, P M Faaborg2, P Christensen2
1Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Neurogastroenterology Unit, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
Study Design:
A longitudinal postal survey.
Objectives:
To evaluate the prevalence and characteristics of abdominal pain in long-term spinal cord injury (SCI).
Setting:
Members of the Danish SCI Association.
Methods:
In 2006, a questionnaire on chronic abdominal pain and discomfort was sent to the 284 members of the Danish SCI association who had been members for at least 10 years; 203 of them responded. An almost identical questionnaire including questions on intensity and interference of pain within the past 7 days, as well as descriptors and treatment, was sent to the 178 surviving members in 2015.
Results:
Of 130 (73%) responders, 125 answered the question on chronic abdominal pain. The mean time since injury was 30.5 (9.8) years. Chronic abdominal pain or discomfort was reported by 32.8% (41/125), and 23% (29/125) of responders had been at least moderately bothered by this in the past week. Abdominal pain or discomfort was more common in women and in those with self-reported constipation. The median intensity (numeric rating scale) was 6.0 (range 3-10) and it was often associated with autonomic symptoms. Nine (8%) of the 115 individuals who responded in both 2006 and 2015 had developed new abdominal pain or discomfort, 30 (26%) no longer reported it, and 28 (24%) reported it at both time points with a similar intensity.
Conclusions:
Chronic abdominal pain or discomfort is common and bothersome in long-term SCI. It has a late onset, but the prevalence and severity do not seem to further increase between 20 and 30 years following SCI.
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