International Journal of Nursing Sciences (Jun 2016)
Validation of neuropathic pain assessment tools among Chinese patients with painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy
Abstract
Objective: This study aims to evaluate the reliability and validity of neuropathic pain assessment tools among Chinese patients with painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy (PDPN). Methods: One hundred patients with PDPN and 70 patients with non-neuropathic pain were recruited from five grade III general hospitals in Guangzhou. Pain was assessed using the Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs (LANSS), Douleur Neuropathique 4 questionnaire (DN4), and Brief Pain Inventory for Painful Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy (BPI-DPN). Reliability was evaluated by internal consistency of the Cronbach's α coefficient and Guttman split-half. Construct validity was analyzed by factor analysis and Spearman correlation coefficients. Sensitivity and specificity were also assessed. Results: The Cronbach's α coefficients of the LANSS, DN4, and BPI-DPN were 0.735, 0.750, and 0.898, respectively. The Guttman split-half coefficients of the LANSS, DN4, and BPI-DPN were 0.660, 0.726, and 0.849, respectively. The cumulative contributions of the LANSS, DN4, and BPI-DPN to the total variance were 61.945%, 57.010%, and 66.056%, respectively. The items of the LANSS, DN4, and BPI-DPN presented high factorial loads, ranging from 0.387 to 0.841, 0.137 to 0.948, and 0.487 to 0.953, respectively. The LANSS and DN4 exhibited sensitivities of 58.0% and 82.7%, respectively, and specificity of 97.1%. Conclusions: The LANSS or DN4 can be used to detect neuropathic pain in Chinese patients with PDPN. The BPI-DPN can be employed to monitor the effectiveness of pain intervention.
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