Comorbid pain syndromes in HIV-associated peripheral neuropathy
A Navis, J Jiao, MC George, D Simpson… - Pain …, 2018 - academic.oup.com
A Navis, J Jiao, MC George, D Simpson, J Robinson-Papp
Pain Medicine, 2018•academic.oup.comObjective Peripheral neuropathy (PN) is a common complication of HIV. There is increasing
awareness that some forms of PN, particularly small-fiber neuropathies, can be associated
with chronic widespread pain syndromes. Given the high prevalence of both PN and chronic
pain in HIV, we sought to determine whether patients with a diagnosis of HIV-PN were more
likely to experience other chronic pain syndromes. Methods Data were obtained from the
Clinical Data Warehouse maintained by our institution. All HIV-infected patients receiving …
awareness that some forms of PN, particularly small-fiber neuropathies, can be associated
with chronic widespread pain syndromes. Given the high prevalence of both PN and chronic
pain in HIV, we sought to determine whether patients with a diagnosis of HIV-PN were more
likely to experience other chronic pain syndromes. Methods Data were obtained from the
Clinical Data Warehouse maintained by our institution. All HIV-infected patients receiving …
Objective
Peripheral neuropathy (PN) is a common complication of HIV. There is increasing awareness that some forms of PN, particularly small-fiber neuropathies, can be associated with chronic widespread pain syndromes. Given the high prevalence of both PN and chronic pain in HIV, we sought to determine whether patients with a diagnosis of HIV-PN were more likely to experience other chronic pain syndromes.
Methods
Data were obtained from the Clinical Data Warehouse maintained by our institution. All HIV-infected patients receiving standard of care antiretroviral therapy in our institution’s primary care HIV clinic (N = 638) were included. Diagnoses of HIV-PN and other chronic pain disorders were established based on clinician-assigned ICD-9/10 codes.
Results
Sixty-eight patients (11%) had a diagnosis of HIV-PN. Patients with HIV-PN were more than twice as likely to have other chronic pain disorders (66% vs 32%, χ2 = 30.3, P < 0.001). Patients with HIV-PN were also older and more likely to have substance use and psychiatric disorders; however, the association of HIV-PN with other chronic pain disorders persisted after adjusting for relevant confounders (χ2(5) = 81.38, P < 0.001).
Conclusions
Patients with HIV-PN commonly experience other chronic pain disorders. Clinicians managing HIV-PN should seek a broad understanding of patients’ pain experience as this may alter management strategies. Researchers studying HIV-PN should consider how the presence of other pain disorders might affect outcomes.
Oxford University Press