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Pain in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: a psychological perspective

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Abstract

Pain in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is often underestimated and untreated by clinicians and few studies have investigated its specific features and impact. Pain experience was investigated with the Italian Questionnaire of Pain, together with the McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire for quality of life (QoL), at a baseline and at a 4-month follow-up. About half of ALS patients reported pain, described as nagging, sore, annoying, boring and exhausting, with periodic but enduring episodes. Pain was related with QoL and its intensity was able to predict QoL worsening. Obtained results indicate the importance of clinical investigation of pain in ALS patients and of the intervention with anti-pain treatment whenever necessary.

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Acknowledgments

This study was conducted in the mainframe of the MAPPA DM SLA Project (Modelli di Assistenza Per Persone Affette da Distrofia Muscolare e Sclerosi Laterale Amiotrofica) supported by the “Fondazione Cariplo”, Italian private foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Catholic University of Milan, Via Nirone, 15, 20123, Milan, Italy

    Francesco Pagnini, Gianluca Castelnuovo & Enrico Molinari

  2. NEuroMuscular Omnicentre (NEMO), Fondazione Serena Onlus, Ospedale Niguarda Cà Granda, Milan, Italy

    Christian Lunetta, Paolo Banfi, Gabriella Rossi, Federica Fossati, Anna Marconi & Massimo Corbo

  3. Istituto Auxologico Italiano Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Psychology Research Laboratory, San Giuseppe Hospital, Verbania, Italy

    Gianluca Castelnuovo & Enrico Molinari

Authors
  1. Francesco Pagnini
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  2. Christian Lunetta
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  3. Paolo Banfi
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  4. Gabriella Rossi
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  5. Federica Fossati
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  6. Anna Marconi
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  7. Gianluca Castelnuovo
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  8. Massimo Corbo
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  9. Enrico Molinari
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Francesco Pagnini.

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Pagnini, F., Lunetta, C., Banfi, P. et al. Pain in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: a psychological perspective. Neurol Sci 33, 1193–1196 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-011-0888-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-011-0888-6

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