Neuropathic pain in a sample of Egyptian patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Egyptian Rheumatology and Rehabilitation

Table 1 Comparison between RA patients with neuropathic pain and those without neuropathic pain

Characteristics	RA patients with neuropathic pain (n = 14)	RA patients without neuropathic pain (n = 98)	P value
Sex			0.687
Male	1 (7.1%)	8 (8.2%)
Female	13 (92.9%)	90 (91.8%)
Age	49 ± 7.75	44.27 ± 10.29	0.101
Education level			0.898
No formal education	9 (64.3%)	65 (66.3%)	0.898
Primary education	3 (21.4%)	14 (14.3%)
Secondary education	1 (7.1%)	10 (10.2%)
Tertiary education	1 (7.1%)	9 (9.2%)
Disease duration (years)	11.21 ± 1.67	4.66 ± 1.47	0.001
RF (IU/mL)
Positive	11 (78.6%)	70 (71.4%)	0.754
Negative	3 (21.4%)	28 (28.6%)	0.754
Anti-CCP (u/ml)
Positive	7 (50%)	58 (59.2%)	0.515
Negative	7 (50%)	40 (40.8%)	0.515
VAS (0–100 mm)	7.36 ± 1.34	1.91 ± 1.08	< 0.001
DAS-28 score	5.27 ± 0.82	2.33 ± 0.71	< 0.001
HAQ	1.19 ± 0.41	0.26 ± 0.27	< 0.001
BMI (kg/m²)	24.07 ± 1.98	20.46 ± 1.56	< 0.001
ESR (mm/h)	54.14 ± 19.73	20.86 ± 6.41	< 0.001
CRP (mg/L)	27.43 ± 11.93	4.13 ± 3.89	< 0.001
DN4	8.00 ± 0.96	1.88 ± 0.82	< 0.001

Data was expressed as means ± SD for quantitative data, and numbers and percentages for qualitative data. P values were obtained using Pearson’s chi-squared test for the comparison of percentages of qualitative variables between the two groups, and Fisher’s exact test was used in cases of non-parametric data. On the other hand, p values were obtained using independent t test comparing the means of quantitative variables between the two groups, and Mann Whitney test was used instead of t test to compare the median rather than the means in cases of non-parametric data
RF Rheumatoid factor, Anti-CCP Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide, VAS Visual analog scale of pain, DAS-28 Disease activity for 28 joint indices score, HAQ Health assessment questionnaire, BMI Body mass index, ESR Erythrocyte sedimentation rate, CRP C-reactive protein, DN4 Douleur Neuropathique in 4 questionnaire