Article

Prospective study - To analyse the prevalence of phantom (limb) pain over time and to
analyse factors associated with phantom (limb) pain in a prospective cohort of
amputees. DESIGN: A multicentre longitudinal study. PATIENTS: One hundred and
thirty-four patients scheduled for amputation were included. METHODS: Patients
filled in questionnaires before amputation, and postal questionnaires six months,
1(1/2) years and 2(1/2) years to a maximum of 3(1/2) years after amputation.
Preoperative assessment included patients' characteristics, date, side and level
of, and reason for amputation. The follow-up questionnaires assessed the
frequencies of the experienced phantom pain, prosthetic use and walking distance.
The occurrence of phantom pain was defined as phantom pain a few times a day or
more frequently. RESULTS:
Pre- and postoperative questionnaires were available
filled in by 85 amputees (33 females and 52 males). The percentage of lower limb
amputees with phantom pain was the highest at six months after amputation, and of
upper limb amputees at 1(1/2) years. In general, more women than men experienced
phantom pain. One and a half years and 2(1/2) years after amputation the highest
percentages of the lower limb amputees used their prosthesis more than 4 hours a
day (66%), after that time this percentage decreased to 60%. The results of the
two-level logistic regression analysis to predict phantom pain show that phantom
pain was less frequently present in men (odds ratio (OR) = 0.12), in lower limb
amputees (OR = 0.14) and that it decreased in due course (OR = 0.53 for 1 year).
CONCLUSION: Protective factors for phantom pain are: being male, having a lower
limb amputation and the time elapsed since amputation.

Langue : ANGLAIS