The painDETECT project – far more than a screening tool on neuropathic pain

Abstract

Background and objectives The painDETECT questionnaire (PD-Q), a simple and reliable screening questionnaire of neuropathic pain, was developed in 2004 in cooperation with the German Research Network on Neuropathic Pain. The initial aim was to implement quality management and to improve the situation of neuropathic pain (NeP) patients in Germany. The PD-Q proved immediately successful and was translated into and validated in multiple languages. Subsequently a comprehensive electronic system (PD) comprising various validated questionnaires with regard to pain typical comorbidities, such as function, sleep, mood or anxiety, was implemented Germany wide. We aimed to provide a comprehensive overview about the development and validation as well as the application of the PD-Q in various clinical conditions.

Methods This overview is based on a literature search on English full-text papers using the term ‘painDETECT’ in Medline and PubMed covering the time period from 2006 to September 2015, amended with further publications cited in the retrieved publications or provided by the questionnaire developers.

Results PD-Q as screening tool for NeP described in patients with lower back pain (8 studies), rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis (10), thoracotomy (2 studies), tumor diseases (4 studies), fibromyalgia (4 studies), diverse musculoskeletal conditions (12 studies) and diverse other conditions (10 studies). In addition, the PD-Q was used in 9 studies that investigated the effect of drugs for the treatment of patients with a NeP component.

Conclusion To date more than 300,000 patients were assessed, providing the basis for one of the world’s largest datasets for chronic pain. Among others the extensive pool of PD-Q data triggered the idea of subgrouping patients on the basis of their individual sensory profiles which might in the future lead to a stratified treatment approach and ultimately to personalized therapy. Started as a healthcare utilization project in Germany, the PD-Q is nowadays used for clinical and research purposes around the world.

Keywords:

• Clinical course
• Comorbidities
• Healthcare utilization
• Neuropathic pain
• Pain management
• Screening
• Subgroups
• Validation

Declaration of funding

Medical writing of an initial draft of the present manuscript was provided by 3P Consulting, Germany, and was funded by Pfizer Pharma GmbH, Berlin, Germany. The sponsor had no influence on the contents of the review, and has not provided further funding for this paper.

Declaration of financial/other relationships

R.F. has disclosed that he is a consultant to and is on the Speakers’ Bureau of Pfizer, Lilly, Grunenthal, and Astellas. TRT has disclosed that he is a consultant to and is on the Speakers’ Bureau of Grunenthal, Mundipharma, Esteve, Pfizer and Lilly, and is also on the Speakers’ Bureau of Allergan. U.G. has disclosed that he has been a consultant to Pfizer for the painDETECT project. R.B. has disclosed that he has received grants from Pfizer, Genzyme, Grunenthal, Mundipharma, and as a member of the European Innovative Medicines Initiative, the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, the German research network on neuropathic pain, the NoPain system biology and the German Research Foundation. He is also a consultant to Pfizer, Genzyme, Grunenthal, Mundipharma, Allergan, Sanofi Pasteur, Medtronic, Eisai, Lilly, Boehringer Ingleheim, Astellas, Novartis, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Biogen Idec, AstraZeneca, Merck, AbbVie, Daiichi Sankyo and Glenmark Pharmaceuticals. He is also on the Speakers’ Bureau of Pfizer, Genzyme, Grunenthal, Mundipharma, Sanofi Pasteur, Medtronic, Eisai, Lilly, Boehringer Ingleheim, Astellas, Desitin, Teva, Bayer-Schering, and MSD.

CMRO peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Acknowledgments

Medical writing assistance was provided by 3P Consulting, Seefeld, Germany.