Investigation of the relationship between patients with viral hepatitis and neuropathic pain

Objective: The most common cause of chronic liver disease in our country is hepatitis B virus (HBV) and chronic viral hepatitis due to HCV infections. Viral hepatitis can cause morbidity and death by causing acute-chronic viral hepatitis, cirrhosis, liver failure and liver cancer. Neuropathic pain is pain that results from a primary lesion, dysfunction, or indefinite disruption of the nervous system. Although it is common in the community, the diagnosis of neuropathic pain can often be missed. The aim of this study is to determine the frequency of neuropathic pain in patients with viral hepatitis. Materials and Methods: Two groups of healthy volunteers followed without medication in the gastroenterology outpatient clinic with the diagnosis of HBV were included in the study. "LANSS", "DN-4", "PAIN DETECT" questionnaires were administered to both groups after obtaining consent forms. The obtained data were analyzed using the SPSS 21 package program. Results: 27 patients with a diagnosis of HBV who were followed up without medication and 27 healthy volunteers were included in the study. According to the Lanns scale, 22.2%(n=6) of the patient group and 3.7%(n=1) of the control group have neuropathic pain. According to the Lanns scale, the presence of neuropathic pain in the patient group was significantly higher than in the control group (p = 0.043). Similarly, it was determined that 29.6%(n=8) of the patient group had neuropathic pain and a significant difference was found in 3.7%(n=1) of the control group according to the Douleur scale (p = 0.013). According to the Pain Detect scale, although the proportion of patients with neuropathic pain was higher in the patient group 18.5%(n=5) compared to the control group 3.7%(n=1), no significant relationship was found between them (p = 0.106). Conclusion: Neuropathic pain is more common in patients with HBV diagnosis than in the control group. It is thought that the DN-4, LANSS and PAIN DETECT scales will help the physician to show the neuropathic pain components in patients with HBV diagnosis. Keywords: HBV, Neuropathic pain, DN-4, LANSS, PAİN DETECT