The Demographic and Clinical Characteristics of the Patients with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome: A Tertiary Clinic Experience

Abstract

The aim of our study was to determine the demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) and to reveal the epidemiological features of CRPS. Material and Methods: Eighty-eight patients with CRPS, admitting to our clinic between January 2010 and December 2018 were included in the study. Patients were evaluated retrospectively in terms of demographics, symptom characteristics (sensory, vasomotor, sudomotor/edema and motor/trophic), involved extremity and side; etiological factors (orthopedic surgery history, soft tissue trauma, stroke, immobilization, cast using), possible risk factors (smoking, menopause, migraine, osteoporosis, asthma and anxiety disorders) and used therapeutic modalities. Results: Mean age of the patients was 51.14±15.25 years (min:18, max: 82). In 60.2% (n: 53) of the patients, upper extremity was involved but there was no statistically significant difference in terms of the involved side (p: 0.754). Soft tissue traumas were the most common factor in etiology in both genders. Most of the patients presented with sensory symptoms. The most common risk factor was menopause in females and smoking in males. Fifty patients (56.8%) had a history of cast using and the mean duration of cast using was 41.60±11.33 days (min: 20 days; max: 70 days). While 63.6% (n: 56) of the patients were included in a physical therapy program; the mean number of the physical therapy sessions was 33.42±10.70 (min: 20 sessions; max: 60 sessions). There was a statistically significant positive correlation between the duration of cast using and the number of physical therapy sessions (r: 0.571, p <0.001). Conclusion: The results of our study suggest that CRPS can affect both genders and different age groups, and that the upper extremity is involved more than the lower extremity. The most common etiological factor is soft tissue traumas. Menopause in females and smoking in males were the two most common risk factors. The determination of the epidemiological characteristics of the patients with CRPS will enable to predict the risky patients and early diagnosis and treatment of the disease.