Ab0150 Do Biological Therapies Have Any Effect on Neuropathic Pain in Rheumatoid Arthritis? What Are the Related Factors?

Background: Biological therapies like anti-TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor) used in the treatment of RA are effective medicines in controlling the disease activity and reducing pain. However bDMARDs and tsDMARDs have been shown to decrease chronic pain in RA, however with which mechanisms this happens and via which nociceptive, neuropathic or nociplastic pathways they demonstrate efficacy could not have been explained. Objectives: The objective of our study is to investigate the frequency of neuropathic pain in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who are receivers and non-receivers of biological treatment. Secondary objective of our study is to set forth the neuropathic pain-related factors in RA. Methods: Our study is a sectional case-control study which measures the frequency of neuropathic pain using painDETECT in patients with RA being monitored in our rheumatology outpatient clinic and in the control group. In addition, along with the demographic data of the patients, DAS28-CRP, VAS pain, VAS fatigue, Beck depression index, Beck anxiety index, HAQ and RA quality of life index were used. Results: 105 patients with RA (60 biological, 45 conventional treatment) and 106 healthy control group participants were enrolled in the study. According to painDETECT, neuropathic pain was n:15 (7.1%), n:9 (4.3%) and n:13 (6.2%) in groups who were bDMARD receivers, non-receivers and control group, respectively. There was no statistical difference between groups who were bDMARD receivers and non-receivers (p>0.005). There was a moderate positive correlation between painDETECT and RA duration (r=0.363), VAS pain score (r=0.594), VAS fatigue score (r=0.589), DAS28-CRP score (r=0.489), Beck depression index (r=0.402), Beck anxiety index (r=0.606), Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) value (r=0.226) and tender joint count (TJC) (r=0.367) (p<0.05). Conclusion: Neuropathic pain is commonly observed in RA patients and treatment with bDMARD did not change the frequency of neuropathic pain. A positive correlation was observed between neuropathic pain and RA disease duration, DAS28-CRP, VAS pain, VAS fatigue, Beck depression index, Beck anxiety index, ESR and TJC. REFERENCES: NIL. Acknowledgements: NIL. Disclosure of Interests: None declared.