Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria ()

Pain characterization in Duchenne muscular dystrophy

  • Talita Dias da Silva,
  • Thais Massetti,
  • Carlos Bandeira de Mello Monteiro,
  • Isabela Lopes Trevizan,
  • Claudia Arab,
  • Fatima Aparecida Caromano,
  • Mariana Callil Voos,
  • Acary Souza Bulle Oliveira,
  • Francis Meire Favero

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1590/0004-282X20160107
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 74, no. 9
pp. 767 – 774

Abstract

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ABSTRACT Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked recessive disorder, characterized by progressive muscle weakness. Historically, pain has not been considered to be a major symptom in DMD. Objective To investigate the relationship between DMD and pain. Methods We conducted a systematic review in Medline/PubMed and BVS (virtual library in health) databases. We searched for articles that showed the terms “Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne” and “Pain” in all fields. All studies included boys diagnosed with DMD and the occurrence/amount of pain on this population. Results Initially, there were 175 studies. 167 articles were excluded for not meeting the inclusion criteria. The remaining eight eligible studies, involving pain assessment in DMD, were analyzed. Conclusion Pain is a frequent problem in this population and this symptom is potentially tractable. Studies conclude that pain can directly influence the quality of life of this population.

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