Article

The purpose of this study was to evaluate cold intolerance symptoms
in patients with brachial plexus nerve injury. We hypothesized that higher levels
of cold intolerance would be associated with more pain, greater disability, and unemployment. METHODS: Following research ethics board approval and patient
consent, we included English-speaking adults more than 6 months following
brachial plexus nerve injury. Patient questionnaires included Cold Intolerance
Severity Scale (CISS), McGill Pain Questionnaire, SF-36, DASH, pain
catastrophizing scale, and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist. Statistical
analyses evaluated the relationships among the questionnaires and the independent
variables. Multivariable linear regression evaluated the factors associated with
the CISS. RESULTS: There were 61 patients, 20 women and 41 men (mean age 40 +/-
17 years). The mean questionnaire scores indicated high scores in the CISS, DASH,
and pain intensity. The CISS was significantly higher in women. The final
regression model with CISS as the dependent variable included the following
independent variables: McGill pain rating index, DASH score, and time since
injury. Neither pain catastrophizing nor post-traumatic stress scores were
retained in the final model. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with brachial plexus nerve
injury reported substantial cold intolerance which was associated with the McGill
pain rating index, upper extremity disability, and time since injury.

Langue : ANGLAIS

Tiré à part : OUI