Clinical practice guidelines for chronic neuropathic pain in the spinal cord injury patient: introduction and methodology

Abstract

Objective: To develop clinical practice guidelines for the identification, evaluation and treatment of chronic neuropathic pain in spinal cord injury patients.

Methods and results: the methodology was developed by the SOFMER (the French Society for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation) and incorporates both guidelines for clinical practice and an expert consensus meeting. Following the creation of a Steering Committee and a Scientific Committee, twelve relevant questions were developed. Two experts from different medical specialties were assigned to each question. The scientific literature was assessed according to the grading scale used by the French Agency for Accreditation and Evaluation in Healthcare (ANAES). The conclusions from the experts' literature analysis were presented at the 2007 SOFMER congress. Lastly, a multidisciplinary expert panel validated the guidelines.

Conclusion: Each question generated a number of good practice guidelines, based on the available scientific level of proof and expert opinion.