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. 2022 Mar 16:2022:3532917.
doi: 10.1155/2022/3532917. eCollection 2022.

Prevalence of Neuropathic Component in Post-COVID Pain Symptoms in Previously Hospitalized COVID-19 Survivors

Manuel Herrero-Montes  1   2 , César Fernández-de-Las-Peñas  3 , Diego Ferrer-Pargada  4 , Sandra Tello-Mena  4 , Ignacio Cancela-Cilleruelo  3 , Jorge Rodríguez-Jiménez  3 , Domingo Palacios-Ceña  3 , Paula Parás-Bravo  1   2
Affiliations

Prevalence of Neuropathic Component in Post-COVID Pain Symptoms in Previously Hospitalized COVID-19 Survivors

Manuel Herrero-Montes et al. Int J Clin Pract. .

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate the prevalence of neuropathic pain symptoms and to analyze the correlation between neuropathic symptoms with pain-related, psychological, and cognitive variables in COVID-19 survivors exhibiting "de novo" post-COVID pain.

Methods: Seventy-seven (n = 77) previously hospitalized COVID-19 survivors presenting with post-COVID pain completed demographic (such as age, height, and weight), pain-related (the duration and intensity of pain), psychological (depressive/anxiety levels), and cognitive (catastrophizing and kinesiophobia) variables. The Self-Report Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs (S-LANSS) questionnaire was also assessed. After conducting multivariable correlation analyses, a stepwise multiple linear regression model was performed to identify S-LANSS predictors.

Results: Participants were assessed a mean of 6.0 (SD 0.8) months after hospital discharge. Nineteen (24.6%) exhibited neuropathic pain symptoms (S-LANSS score≥12 points). The S-LANSS score was positively associated with the duration of post-COVID pain (r: 0.262), anxiety levels (r: 0.275), and kinesiophobia level (r: 0.291) (all, P < 0.05). The stepwise regression analysis revealed that 12.8% of the S-LANSS variance was just explained by kinesiophobia.

Conclusion: This study found that almost 25% of previously hospitalized COVID-19 survivors with "de novo" post-COVID pain reported a neuropathic pain component. The presence of neuropathic pain symptomatology was associated with more anxiety and kinesiophobia, but only kinesiophobia level was significantly associated explaining 12.8% of the variance of the S-LANSS score.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Location of post-COVID pain in previously hospitalized COVID-19 survivors (n = 77).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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