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Cited by 134Pain Mechanisms and TreatmentsMusculoskeletal pain and rehabilitationPain Management and Treatment

Epidemiology of neuropathic pain: an analysis of prevalence and associated factors in UK Biobank

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Baskozos, Georgios, Hébert, Harry L., Pascal, Mathilde M.V., Themistocleous, Andreas C., Macfarlane, Gary J., Wynick, David, Bennett, David L.H., Smith, Blair H.·2023·PAIN Reports
DOI 10.1097/pr9.0000000000001066PMC PMC7614463

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Abstract

Introduction: Previous epidemiological studies of neuropathic pain have reported a range of prevalences and factors associated with the disorder. Objectives: This study aimed to verify these characteristics in a large UK cohort. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted of 148,828 UK Biobank participants who completed a detailed questionnaire on chronic pain. The Douleur Neuropathique en Quatre Questions (DN4) was used to distinguish between neuropathic pain (NeuP) and non-neuropathic pain (non-NeuP) in participants with pain of at least 3 months' duration. Participants were also identified with less than 3 months' pain or without pain (NoCP). Multivariable regression was used to identify factors associated with NeuP compared with non-NeuP and NoCP, respectively. Results: Chronic pain was present in 76,095 participants (51.1%). The overall prevalence of NeuP was 9.2%. Neuropathic pain was significantly associated with worse health-related quality of life, having a manual or personal service type occupation, and younger age compared with NoCP. As expected, NeuP was associated with diabetes and neuropathy, but also other pains (pelvic, postsurgical, and migraine) and musculoskeletal disorders (rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and fibromyalgia). In addition, NeuP was associated with pain in the limbs and greater pain intensity and higher body mass index compared with non-NeuP. Female sex was associated with NeuP when compared with NoCP, whereas male sex was associated with NeuP when compared with non-NeuP. Conclusion: This is the largest epidemiological study of neuropathic pain to date. The results confirm that the disorder is common in a population of middle- to older-aged people with mixed aetiologies and is associated with a higher health impact than non-neuropathic pain.

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Baskozos, G., Hébert, H. L., Pascal, M. M. V., Themistocleous, A. C., Macfarlane, G. J., Wynick, D., Bennett, D. L. H., & Smith, B. H.
Affiliations
  • John Radcliffe Hospital (GB)
  • University of Dundee (GB)
  • University of Aberdeen (GB)
  • University of Bristol (GB)
Corresponding author
Baskozos, Georgios
ORCID
Venue
PAIN Reports
Publisher
Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Published
2023-02-10
Volume
8
Issue
2
Pages
e1066
ISSN
2471-2531 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1097/pr9.0000000000001066
PMC
PMC7614463
OpenAlex
W4319878220
Cited by
134
References
9
Citations by year
2026: 48 · 2025: 55 · 2024: 23 · 2023: 8
FWCI
23.80
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • PAIN Reports (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • medRxiv (acceptedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Aberdeen University Research Archive (Aberdeen University) (submittedVersion)
  • Discovery Research Portal (University of Dundee) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
  • Wellcome Trust (202747/Z/16/Z, 223149/Z/21/Z, 19/0005984)
  • Diabetes UK (19/0005984)
  • Academy of Medical Sciences (SGL022\\1086)
  • European Commission (633491, HORIZON2020)
  • Novo Nordisk Fonden (NNF14OC0011633)
  • Versus Arthritis (MR/W002388/1)
  • Medical Research Council (MR/W002388/1, MC_PC_17228, MR/T020113/1)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Pain Mechanisms and Treatments
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Musculoskeletal pain and rehabilitation
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine › Pain Management and Treatment
Keywords
neuropathic pain, prevalence, chronic pain, risk factors, health-related quality of life, occupational type, diabetes mellitus, neuropathy, musculoskeletal disorders, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, migraine, body mass index, sex differences, pain intensity, UK Biobank

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