Potential for increased prevalence of neuropathic pain after the COVID-19 pandemic

Nadine Attal; Valéria Martinez; Didier Bouhassira

doi:10.1097/PR9.0000000000000884

Potential for increased prevalence of neuropathic pain after the COVID-19 pandemic

Pain Rep. 2021 Jan 27;6(1):e884. doi: 10.1097/PR9.0000000000000884. eCollection 2021 Jan-Feb.

Authors

Nadine Attal¹, Valéria Martinez^{1

2

3}, Didier Bouhassira^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ INSERM U 987, CETD, Hôpital Ambroise Paré, APHP, Boulogne-Billancourt, France.
² Université Versailles Saint Quentin, Versailles, France.
³ Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Unit, Hôpital Raymond Poincaré, APHP, Garches, France.

Abstract

Although coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) most commonly manifests with acute respiratory symptoms, one very common symptom of COVID-19 is pain. As COVID-19 often causes peripheral or central neurological complications, it is anticipated that a number of the chronic pain complications of COVID-19 will be neuropathic. This review first examines the most common viral infections responsible for neurological complications including neuropathic pain. These encompass herpes zoster, HIV, poliovirus, enteroviruses, and several tropical viruses. Neurological complications of COVID-19 including in particular Guillain-Barré syndrome, myelitis, and stroke are reviewed with regards to their potential risk of chronic neuropathic pain. Prospective longitudinal cohorts of patients should be implemented to evaluate the exact risk of neuropathic pain after COVID-19.

Keywords: COVID-19; Narrative review; Neurological complications; Neuropathic pain; SARS-CoV-2.

Publication types

Review