PREVALENCE AND CHARACTERISTICS OF CHRONIC SENSORY PROBLEMS IN BURN PATIENTS

Problems of pain and paresthesia in the healed wounds of burn patients are an understudied and poorly documented phenomenon. This descriptiv e study was designed to examine the prevalence and characteristics of these chronic sensory problems 1 year or more postburn. Four hundred a nd thirty patients were sent questionnaires which assessed the frequen cy and intensity of the problems, influencing factors and impact on pa tients' lives. These problems were assessed by rating scales (visual a nalogue and categorical scales) and the McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ ). The response rate was 67%, Over one-third of the participants (36.4 %) complained of pain while the prevalence of paresthetic sensations w as 71.2%. More than half of the symptomatic patients experienced senso ry problems every week sufficient to interfere with daily living. No r elationships were found between these sensory problems and the patient s' age or sex, burn etiology, or length of time elapsed since injury. Burn severity was related to the frequency of the problems. Discussion emphasizes the need for adequate treatment of these problems and sugg ests further research issues.