La douleur chez le sujet adulte infirme moteur cérébral

Abstract

Introduction Pain is the main problem in patients with cerebral palsy. To improve the quality of life of people with cerebral palsy, a good knowledge of the clinical syndrome is necessary. Method We reviewed the published data of the APIB study. We analysed data about pain, especially its correlation with age, motor handicap, and depressive syndrome. We also reviewed the literature to survey the pain syndrome in such a situation. Results A total of 562 patients responded to the APIB survey (mean age 36 ± 14 years). Of these, 75% complained about physical pain. Pain was significantly associated with age, motor handicap, depressive syndrome, and sleep disorders. Discussion A study of the literature confirms our results on pain in cerebral palsy from the APIB survey. The main localisations of pain are the spine, and scapular and pelvic girdles. Pain syndromes of the upper and lower limbs are also frequent, with much due to overuse. Some rare causes include heterotopic ossifications. Conclusion A good knowledge of the characteristics of the pain syndromes in people with cerebral palsy is important because of the great prevalence of this problem in this population. Better knowledge will help prevent the pain and improve quality of life.