Potential Risk Factors for the Onset of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Type 1: A Systematic Literature Review

Anaesthetists in the acute and chronic pain teams are often involved in treating Complex Regional Pain Syndromes. Current literature about the risk factors for the onset of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Type 1 (CRPS 1) remains sparse. This syndrome has a low prevalence, a highly variable presentation, and no gold standard for diagnosis. In the research setting, the pathogenesis of the syndrome continues to be elusive. There is a growing body of literature that addresses efficacy of a wide range of interventions as well as the likely mechanisms that contribute to the onset of CRPS 1. The objective for this systematic search of the literature focuses on determining the potential risk factors for the onset of CRPS 1. Eligible articles were analysed, dated 1996 to April 2014, and potential risk factors for the onset of CRPS 1 were identified from 10 prospective and 6 retrospective studies. Potential risk factors for the onset of CRPS 1 were found to include being female, particularly postmenopausal female, ankle dislocation or intra-articular fracture, immobilisation, and a report of higher than usual levels of pain in the early phases of trauma. It is not possible to draw definite conclusions as this evidence is heterogeneous and of mixed quality, relevance, and weighting strength against bias and has not been confirmed across multiple trials or in homogenous studies.

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Incidence of and Risk Factors for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Type 1 after Surgery for Distal Radius Fractures: A Population-based Study

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-019-41152-x ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Young-Hoon Jo ◽

KangWook Kim ◽

Bong-Gun Lee ◽

Joo-Hak Kim ◽

Chang-Hun Lee ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome ◽

Distal Radius ◽

Pain Syndrome ◽

Population Based ◽

Distal Radius Fractures ◽

Syndrome Type ◽

Radius Fractures ◽

Population Based Study

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Challenges in the Diagnostic Conceptualization of CRPS-1 (Formerly Conceptualized as RSD)

Guides Newsletter ◽

10.1001/amaguidesnewsletters.2006.marapr01 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 1-3, 9-12

Author(s):

Robert J. Barth ◽

Tom W. Bohr

Keyword(s):

Clinical Practice ◽

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome ◽

Somatoform Disorders ◽

International Association ◽

Pain Syndrome ◽

Somatoform Disorder ◽

Syndrome Type ◽

Previous Issue

Abstract From the previous issue, this article continues a discussion of the potentially confusing aspects of the diagnostic formulation for complex regional pain syndrome type 1 (CRPS-1) proposed by the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP), the relevance of these issues for a proposed future protocol, and recommendations for clinical practice. IASP is working to resolve the contradictions in its approach to CRPS-1 diagnosis, but it continues to include the following criterion: “[c]ontinuing pain, which is disproportionate to any inciting event.” This language only perpetuates existing issues with current definitions, specifically the overlap between the IASP criteria for CRPS-1 and somatoform disorders, overlap with the guidelines for malingering, and self-contradiction with respect to the suggestion of injury-relatedness. The authors propose to overcome the last of these by revising the criterion: “[c]omplaints of pain in the absence of any identifiable injury that could credibly account for the complaints.” Similarly, the overlap with somatoform disorders could be reworded: “The possibility of a somatoform disorder has been thoroughly assessed, with the results of that assessment failing to produce any consistencies with a somatoform scenario.” The overlap with malingering could be addressed in this manner: “The possibility of malingering has been thoroughly assessed, with the results of that assessment failing to produce any consistencies with a malingering scenario.” The article concludes with six recommendations, and a sidebar discusses rating impairment for CRPS-1 (with explicit instructions not to use the pain chapter for this purpose).

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