Pain in patients with multiple sclerosis

This study aims to identify the factors associated with pain and neuropathic pain (NP) in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and to determine the relationship between pain and NP with disability, functionality, activities of daily living, fatigue, mood, and quality of life (QoL).

Between July 2017 and October 2017, a total of 100 adult patients with MS (18 males, 82 females; mean age: 35.3±9.9 years; range, 19 to 71 years) were included. All patients were evaluated in terms of pain and NP. Patients with and without pain, and patients with and without NP were compared in terms of sociodemographic characteristics, disease data, disability, functionality, daily living activities, fatigue severity, mood, and QoL using various scales.

A total of 62% of the patients had pain. Pain was found to be associated with low education level (p=0.014), increased fatigue (p<0.001), depressive mood (p<0.001) and lower QoL (p<0.001). A total of 29.03% of patients with pain had NP. Patients with NP had a greater pain intensity (p<0.001) and fatigue (p=0.002) and lower QoL (p=0.011). The number of patients who received the correct treatment for their symptoms was low.

Pain and NP should be better investigated and treated by physicians, as these symptoms are common in MS and adversely affect the QoL and social relations of affected patients and reduce their productivity.