Abstract Introduction Despite the high prevalence of chronic pain in individuals infected with HTLV-1, predictive and protective factors for its development are still unclear. Objective To identify factors associated with chronic pain in individuals with HTLV-1. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted in a reference center for treatment of patients infected with HTLV-1 in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. The study included individuals infected with HTLV-1, over 18 years, and excluded those with difficulty to respond the pain protocol. Data on sociodemographic, health behavior, and clinical characteristics were collected in a standardized way. The prevalence ratio (PR) of pain is described, as well as the factors independently associated with the presence of pain, which were assessed by multiple logistic regression. Results A total of 142 individuals were included in the study, mostly female (62.7%), aged 20–64 years (73.2%), married (61.3%), with less than eight years of education (54.2%), and with a steady income (79.6%). Multivariate analysis showed that being symptomatic for HTLV-1 – sensory manifestations, erectile dysfunction, overactive bladder, and/or HAM/TSP (PR = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.05 to 1.38), self-medication (PR = 1.29, 95% CI: 1.08–1.53), physiotherapy (PR = 1.15, 95% CI: 1.02–1.28), and depression (PR = 1.14, 95% CI: 1.01–1.29) were associated with an increased likelihood of presenting pain. On the other hand, physical activity (PR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.67–0.93) and religious practice (PR = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.72–0.95) were associated with a decreased likelihood of having pain. Conclusion The use of self-medication, physiotherapy and the presence of depression are independently associated with neurological symptoms in HTLV-1 infected patients. Religious practice and physical activity are both protective for the development of pain.

RESUMO Objetivo Descrever o perfil de dor de sujeitos com lesão traumática do plexo braquial. Métodos Nós incluímos 65 indivíduos com lesão traumática do plexo braquial. O Douleur Neuropathique 4 foi usado para classificar a dor e o SF-36 foi usado para avaliar a qualidade de vida. Resultados Sujeitos com lesão traumática do plexo braquial eram em sua maioria homens jovens, vítimas de acidentes motociclísticos. A dor esteve presete em 75.4% dos indivíduos e 79% deles apresentaram dor neuropática, mais frequentemente localizada nas mãos (30.41%). O uso de dispositivos auxiliares (p = 0.05) e o estado civil foram, ambos, preditores independentes de dor. A dor ainda impactou negativamente da qualidade de vida (p = 0.001). Conclusões A dor é frequente em sujeitos com lesão traumática do plexo braquial. Apesar de envolver uma lesão do sistema nervoso a dor nociceptiva não é infrequente. A avaliação da dor, incluindo instrumentos validados, é essencial para direcionar as condutas clínicas de sujeitos com esta condição.

ABSTRACT Objective To describe the pain profile of patients with traumatic brachial plexus injury. Methods We enrolled 65 patients with traumatic brachial plexus injury. The Douleur Neuropathique 4 questionnaire was used to classify pain and the SF-36 was used to evaluate quality of life. Results The patients with traumatic brachial plexus injury were predominantly young male victims of motorcycle accidents. Pain was present in 75.4% of the individuals and 79% presented with neuropathic pain, mostly located in the hands (30.41%). The use of auxiliary devices (p = 0.05) and marital status (p = 0.03) were both independent predictors of pain. Pain also impacted negatively on the quality of life (p = 0.001). Conclusions Pain is frequent in patients with traumatic brachial plexus injury. Despite the peripheral nervous system injury, nociceptive pain is not unusual. Pain evaluation, including validated instruments, is essential to guide optimal clinical management of patients with the condition.