Evaluation of the Effect of Neuropathic Pain on Quality of Life in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Total Enrollment

85 participants

Study Classification

OBSERVATIONAL

Study Start Date

2021-04-01

Study Completion Date

2022-11-30

Brief Summary

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Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease that mainly affects the joint synovium. Rheumatoid arthritis patients define pain as their major symptom and the most important reason for applying to a healthcare institution. Approximately 70% of rheumatoid arthritis patients state that improvement in their pain compared to other symptoms of the disease is their priority. Pain in rheumatoid arthritis patients is also important as the disease affects approximately 0.5-1% of patients worldwide.

Although pain in rheumatoid arthritis patients can be persistent or intermittent, localized or widespread, it has often been associated with fatigue and psychosocial stress. Although nociceptive pain,defined as 'gnawing' or 'aching', is frequently observed in rheumatoid arthritis patients, typical neuropathic pain,such as 'burning' or 'itching', can be observed in some RA patients. It is thought that neuropathic pain may occur as a result of lesions or disease affecting the somatosensorial nervous system. Neuropathic pain can occur with little or no stimulus, and its symptoms are abnormal sensations such as hyperalgesia and allodynia.

The diagnosis and treatment of neuropathic pain in rheumatoid arthritis patients is important because neuropathic pain does not decrease with traditional disease-modifying anti-inflammatory drugs used in rheumatoid arthritis and causes a decrease in quality of life. In order to distinguish neuropathic pain from chronic pain, methods based on defining the quality of pain are often used. Some of these methods are; The McGill Pain Questionnaire, PainDETECT, RAPS (Rheumatoid Arthritis Pain Scale), VAS (visual analog scale), AIMS (Arthritis Impact Scale), EQ-5D (European Quality of Life Assessment and Pain Assessment Questionnaire).

The diagnosis and treatment of neuropathic pain in rheumatoid arthritis patients is important because neuropathic pain does not decrease with traditional disease-modifying anti-inflammatory drugs used in rheumatoid arthritis and causes a decrease in quality of life.

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Detailed Description

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Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease that mainly affects the joint synovium. Rheumatoid arthritis patients define pain as their major symptom and the most important reason for applying to a healthcare institution. Approximately 70% of rheumatoid arthritis patients state that improvement in their pain compared to other symptoms of the disease is their priority. Pain in rheumatoid arthritis patients is also important as the disease affects approximately 0.5-1% of patients worldwide.

Synovial inflammation, which can lead to joint deformity by causing cartilage and bone destruction, is the main pathophysiological mechanism in rheumatoid arthritis, and therefore the main cause of pain in rheumatoid arthritis patients is thought to be nociceptive. Although pain in rheumatoid arthritis was previously associated with tissue damage and inflammatory processes in the joints, accumulated knowledge shows that peripheral inflammation, disease progression, structural and neurochemical changes in the joints and sensorial system, and central pain process mechanisms may also play a role in these rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Although pain in rheumatoid arthritis patients can be persistent or intermittent, localized or widespread, it has often been associated with fatigue and psychosocial stress. Although nociceptive pain, defined as 'gnawing' or 'aching', is frequently observed in rheumatoid arthritis patients, typical neuropathic pain, such as 'burning' or 'itching', can be observed in some RA patients. It is thought that neuropathic pain may occur as a result of lesions or disease affecting the somatosensorial nervous system. Neuropathic pain can occur with little or no stimulus, and its symptoms are abnormal sensations such as hyperalgesia and allodynia.

Although the frequency of neuropathic pain in rheumatoid arthritis patients varies in various clinical studies, it is approximately 20.7-30%. The diagnosis and treatment of neuropathic pain in rheumatoid arthritis patients is important because neuropathic pain does not decrease with traditional disease-modifying anti-inflammatory drugs used in rheumatoid arthritis and causes a decrease in quality of life. To distinguish neuropathic pain from chronic pain, methods based on defining the quality of pain are often used. Some of these methods are; The McGill Pain Questionnaire, PainDETECT, RAPS (Rheumatoid Arthritis Pain Scale), VAS (visual analogue scale), AIMS (Arthritis Impact Scale), EQ-5D (European Quality of Life Assessment and Pain Assessment Questionnaire).

Although non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs(NSAIDs) are used for pain in rheumatoid arthritis, it is not suitable for long-term disease control. It is important to start the use of disease-modifying agents (DMARDs) in the early period in patients.

Analgesic agents such as NSAIDs, acetaminophen, and opioids are used for pain in rheumatoid arthritis patients. However, some side effects of these drugs frequently limit their usage. Long-term opioid use in pain treatment is not recommended due to its side effects such as constipation, nausea and vomiting, and should be used with careful monitoring when necessary. Other drugs such as tricyclic antidepressants and topical capsaicin have been used in randomized controlled trials for pain management in RA with limited success.

Conditions

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Rheumatoid Arthritis Neuropathic Pain

Study Design

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Observational Model Type

COHORT

Study Time Perspective

PROSPECTIVE

Study Groups

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Rheumatoid Arthritis patients

Rheumatoid arthritis patients will be evaluated in terms of the presence of neuropathic pain and its effect on the quality of life, at their admission.

No interventions assigned to this group

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis,
* who can read and write in Turkish,
* participant's admission participating in the study,

Exclusion Criteria

* participant's refusal to participate in the study,
* lack of cooperation due to cognitive impairment,
* participant's who have a neurological disease,
* presence of drug abuse,
* presence of malignancy in any organ or system,
* serious psychiatric problems (psychosis, etc.),
* the presence of another rheumatological disease other than Rheumatoid Arthritis,
* serious and unstable metabolic disease.

Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

65 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No