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. 2025 Mar;46(3):1359-1367.
doi: 10.1007/s10072-024-07813-0. Epub 2024 Nov 27.

Predictors for quality of life improvement following rTMS treatment in neuropathic pain patients

Aurélie Lacroix  1   2 , Gaëlle Martiné-Fabre  3   4 , Brigitte Plansont  5 , Alexandre Buisson  5 , Sandrine Guignandon  5 , Marc Rozette  3 , François Caire #  6 , Benjamin Calvet #  7   5
Affiliations

Predictors for quality of life improvement following rTMS treatment in neuropathic pain patients

Aurélie Lacroix et al. Neurol Sci. 2025 Mar.

Abstract

Objectives: Recently, Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) has gained attention for its potential in relieving neuropathic pain (NP). NP encompasses central and peripheral neuralgia, characterized by sensory abnormalities and spontaneous pain. Pharmacological treatments often provide partial relief with significant side effects, making rTMS an attractive alternative. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of rTMS in treating NP and its impact on quality of life over three months.

Methods: A total of 51 patients with drug-resistant NP were included, undergoing 15 sessions of rTMS targeting motor cortex areas over three weeks. Clinical response was evaluated using various psychometric scales, including VAS for pain and PGIC. Quality of life was assessed using the SF-36 questionnaire.

Results: Results showed significant clinical improvements in pain severity and quality of life following rTMS treatment. Predictive factors of quality of life improvement were identified, with mental health being crucial across all NP areas. Notably, patients with cerebral NP showed improvements linked to physical dimensions, emphasizing tailored treatment approaches.

Conclusions: This study underscores the efficacy of rTMS in managing NP, highlighting sustained improvements in pain severity and quality of life. The findings offer valuable insights for personalized treatment approaches and optimizing patient outcomes in NP management.

Keywords: Clinical improvement; Neuropathic Pain; Predictive factors; Quality of life; rTMS.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval: The study received legal authorizations from French Ethic commitee (F20230904154410). Informed consent: Non-opposition to the use of participants’ data in research was obtained retrospectively for those included before 2018 and prospectively since. Conflict of interest: The authors do not have any competing interests to report.

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