Neuropathic Pain in Hospitalized Patients With COVID-19: A Prospective Case Series

Abstract

Objective: To report the demographic and clinical characteristics of 8 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 and presenting with neuropathic pain (NeuP). Design: A prospective case series with 1-month follow-up. Settings: COVID-19–dedicated wards of a tertiary care center. Participants: We included 8 consecutive cases of laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 (by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction) who presented with NeuP during the course of their acute hospitalization (N=8). Interventions: Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures: A verbal rating scale was used to assess NeuP severity at presentation and at 1-month follow-up. The Douleur Neuropathique 4 questionnaire was used to diagnose NeuP at presentation. Results: Most patients were diagnosed as moderate to severe COVID-19 (6/8) and presented with mild to moderate NeuP (6/8). A substantial proportion of patients (4/8) displayed persistence of mild pain symptoms at 1-month follow-up. Furthermore, participants displayed a favorable response to gabapentinoids with or without antidepressants. Conclusion: NeuP is a less commonly encountered symptom of COVID-19, but its early diagnosis and prompt management are of utmost importance. More studies including a larger cohort and longer follow-up are recommended for better understanding of COVID-19-associated NeuP.

Keywords

• COVID-19
• Neuralgia
• Pain
• Pain management
• Rehabilitation
• SARS-CoV-2