TY - JOUR
T1 - Investigating the validity of the DN4 in a consecutive population of patients with chronic pain
AU - Timmerman, Hans
AU - Steegers, Monique A. H.
AU - Huygen, Frank J. P. M.
AU - Goeman, Jelle J.
AU - van Dasselaar, Nick T.
AU - Schenkels, Marcel J.
AU - Wilder-Smith, Oliver H. G.
AU - Wolff, André P.
AU - Vissers, Kris C. P.
PY - 2017
Y1 - 2017
N2 - Neuropathic pain is clinically described as pain caused by a lesion or disease of the somatosensory nervous system. The aim of this study was to assess the validity of the Dutch version of the DN4, in a cross-sectional multicentre design, as a screening tool for detecting a neuropathic pain component in a large consecutive, not pre-stratified on basis of the target outcome, population of patients with chronic pain. Patients' pain was classified by two independent (pain-)physicians as the gold standard. The analysis was initially performed on the outcomes of those patients (n = 228 out of 291) in whom both physicians agreed in their pain classification. Compared to the gold standard the DN4 had a sensitivity of 75% and specificity of 76%. The DN4-symptoms (seven interview items) solely resulted in a sensitivity of 70% and a specificity of 67%. For the DN4-signs (three examination items) it was respectively 75% and 75%. In conclusion, because it seems that the DN4 helps to identify a neuropathic pain component in a consecutive population of patients with chronic pain in a moderate way, a comprehensive (physical-) examination by the physician is still obligate.
AB - Neuropathic pain is clinically described as pain caused by a lesion or disease of the somatosensory nervous system. The aim of this study was to assess the validity of the Dutch version of the DN4, in a cross-sectional multicentre design, as a screening tool for detecting a neuropathic pain component in a large consecutive, not pre-stratified on basis of the target outcome, population of patients with chronic pain. Patients' pain was classified by two independent (pain-)physicians as the gold standard. The analysis was initially performed on the outcomes of those patients (n = 228 out of 291) in whom both physicians agreed in their pain classification. Compared to the gold standard the DN4 had a sensitivity of 75% and specificity of 76%. The DN4-symptoms (seven interview items) solely resulted in a sensitivity of 70% and a specificity of 67%. For the DN4-signs (three examination items) it was respectively 75% and 75%. In conclusion, because it seems that the DN4 helps to identify a neuropathic pain component in a consecutive population of patients with chronic pain in a moderate way, a comprehensive (physical-) examination by the physician is still obligate.
KW - Journal Article
U2 - 10.1371/journal.pone.0187961
DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0187961
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 29190718
SN - 1932-6203
VL - 12
JO - PLOS ONE
JF - PLOS ONE
IS - 11
M1 - e0187961
ER -