The Evaluation of Central Post Stroke Pain

Lee, Doo Ik; Kim, Su Young; Kim, Keon Sik; Choi, Do Young; Lee, Jae Dong; Lee, Yun Ho

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Central post stroke pain (CPSP) can occur as a result of a lesion or dysfunction of the brain following a stroke, and may cause many difficulties in social activities and daily life. It has also long been recognised as one of the more difficult types of pain to assess. In this study, objective evaluation of the CPSP was attempted through the investigation of rehabilitation scores and the changes of body temperature, compared with the degree of pain. METHODS: Seventy CPSP patients were evaluated, with the VAS (visual analog scale), for their pain intensity, improvements of mobility and rehabilitation, through a modified Barthel index (MBI), Rankin scale (RS) and the skin temperature of pain sites, using infrared thermography, before and after the pain treatment, respectively. RESULTS: The VAS pain scores after treatment were improved, compared to those before treatment (P < 0.05). In accordance with the improved VAS, MBI and RS scores, and the differences in the skin temperature at the pain site of the CPSP patients, the pain after treatment was improved compared to that before treatment (P < 0.05). The change in pain was found to be significantly correlated with the RS and temperature in the CPSP patients (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The pain treatment for CPSP might contribute to the improvement in the rehabilitation, as well as the alleviation of pain, of CPSP patients. These results suggested that pain management might be useful in improving the rehabilitation of CPSP patients, and further infrared thermography is a very useful device for the evaluation of CPSP and its treatment.