HIGHLIGHTS
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Chikungunya fever patients had mild pain intensity and disability.
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One in three patients showed signs and symptoms of central sensitization.
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The level of disability was associated with the interference of pain and neuropathic or central symptoms.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:
Particular pain features, such as pain interference, neuropathic-like symptoms, and central sensitization (CS) symptoms may be present in patients with Chikungunya fever and lead to functional limitations. The present study aimed to assess the association between pain characteristics and the disability in participants affected by Chikungunya fever in the chronic phase.
METHODS:
A cross-sectional study was conducted with 36 participants who filled out a sociodemographic, pain characteristics (pain interference - Brief Pain Inventory, neuropathic-like symptoms - PainDETECT Questionnaire, and CS-related signs and symptoms - Central Sensitization Inventory) and disability (Health Assessment Questionnaire) questionnaires. The Spearman correlation test (rho) verified the relationship between the outcomes.
RESULTS:
Most of the participants were female (77%), with a mean age of 43 years. Twenty-seven (75%) participants presented nociceptive pain and 11 (30%) had central sensitization symptoms. There was a high positive correlation between the presence of neuropathic-like symptoms and disability (rho=0.71; p<0.001) and pain intensity and disability (rho=0.76; p<0.001). A moderate positive correlation was found between the central sensitization symptoms and disability (rho=0.51; p=0.002). Moreover, there is a low positive correlation between pain interference in an individual’s life and disability (rho=0.34; p=0.041).
CONCLUSION:
Patients in chronic phase of Chikungunya fever revealed mild pain intensity and predominance of nociceptive pain. Pain interference, neuropathic-like symptoms, and central sensitization symptoms negatively impact individual’s disability after Chikungunya fever.
Keywords:
Chikungunya virus; Chronic pain; Correlation study; Disability; Pain measurement