Korean J Pain.  2021 Jun;34(3):288-303. 10.3344/kjp.2021.34.3.288.

Multicenter survey of symptoms, work life, economic status, and quality of life of complex regional pain syndrome patients

• Lee J
• Lim YH
• Hong SJ
• Jeong JH
• Choi HR
• Park SK
• Kim JE
• Park EH
• Kim JH

• KMID: 2517513
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3344/kjp.2021.34.3.288

Abstract

Background
Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is an intractable pain disease with various symptoms. Here, we investigated the disease status, work life, sleep problems, medical insurance, economic status, psychological problems, and quality of life (QOL) of CRPS patients.
Methods
CRPS patients from 37 university hospitals in South Korea were surveyed. The survey questionnaire consisted of 24 questions on the following aspects of CRPS patients: sex, age, occupation, cause of injury, activities of daily living (ADL), pain severity, sleep disturbance, level of education, economic status, therapeutic effect, and suicidal ideation. Additionally, the abbreviated World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaire, consisting of 26 questions, was used to identify the status of QOL.
Results
A total of 251 patients completed the questionnaire. According to the survey, 54.2% patients could not perform ADL on their own. Over the previous week, the mean pain score was 7.15 ± 1.78 (out of a total of 10 points); 92.1% of patients had sleep disorders and 80.5% had suicidal ideation, with most patients suffering from psychological problems. The average for each domain of WHOQOL-BREF was as follows: 21.74 ± 14.77 for physical, 25.22 ± 17.66 for psychological, 32.02 ± 22.36 for social relationship, and 30.69 ± 15.83 for environmental (out of a total of 100 points each). Occupation, ADL, sleep time, therapeutic effect, and suicidal ideation were statistically correlated with multiple domains.
Conclusions
Most patients had moderate to severe pain, economic problems, limitations of their ADL, sleep problems, psychological problems, and a low QOL score.

Keyword

Activities of Daily Living; Chronic Pain; Complex Regional Pain Syndromes; Economic Status; Educational Status; Occupations; Pain; Intractable; Quality of Life; Sleep Wake Disorders; Suicidal Ideation; Surveys and Questionnaires

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Representation of data for occupational changes in patients before and after complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) outbreak.

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  Fig. 2 Representation of data for time span for diagnosis of complex regional pain syndrome.

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  Fig. 3 Representation of data for the degree of activity of daily living (ADL) of complex regional pain syndrome patients.

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  Fig. 4 Representation of data for prevalence of sleep disturbance caused by pain in complex regional pain syndrome patients.

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  Fig. 5 Representation of data for impact of complex regional pain syndrome on economic activities and economic difficulties among patients.

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  Fig. 6 Representation of data for prevalence of suicidal ideation in complex regional pain syndrome patients.

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