Evaluation of the Relationship Between Pain and Functional Status, Depression, Anxiety and Quality of Life in Patients with Spinal Cord Injury: Neuropathic Pain in Spinal Cord Injury

Background Neuropathic pain is a common and challenging complication following spinal cord injury (SCI). It significantly affects patients’ physical, psychological, and social well-being, often leading to impaired quality of life and increased emotional distress. Objectives To determine the prevalence of neuropathic pain in patients with SCI, evaluate its re-lationship with clinical and demographic characteristics, and examine its associations with quality of life, depression, and anxiety. Methods Eighty-four patients with SCI who were admitted to the Department of Physical Medi-cine and Rehabilitation and followed up at the rehabilitation outpatient clinic of Dicle University Medical Faculty Hospital (Diyarbakır, Turkey) were included. Neurological status was assessed using the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) scale. Func-tional ambulation was evaluated by the Walking Index for Spinal Cord Injury (WISCI) and Functional Ambulation Scale (FAS), while independence was assessed with the Spinal Cord Independence Measure version 3 (SCIM-III). Quality of life was measured using the Short Form-36 (SF-36). Depression and anxiety were evaluated by the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Neuropathic pain, fa-tigue, and paresthesia severity were assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and the Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs (LANSS) questionnaire. Results Neuropathic pain was identified in 41.7% of patients. No significant differences were observed in age, gender, or marital status between those with and without neuropathic pain. Patients with neuropathic pain had significantly higher BAI scores and lower scores in several SF-36 domains, including vitality, bodily pain, and emotional well-being. LANSS scores correlated positively with VAS fatigue, BAI scores, and ne-gatively with SF-36 domains such as vitality, general health, and bodily pain. Conclusion Neuropathic pain is a frequent and burdensome complication after SCI, strongly asso-ciated with reduced quality of life and increased psychological distress, particularly anxiety. Early recognition and management of neuropathic pain are essential to imp-rove functional and psychosocial outcomes in patients with SCI.