Long-term outcomes of a multidisciplinary cognitive behavioural programme for coping with chronic neuropathic spinal cord injury pain.

OBJECTIVE To explore the long-term outcomes of CONECSI (COping with NEuropathiC Spinal cord Injury pain), a multidisciplinary cognitive behavioural treatment programme in persons with spinal cord injury. DESIGN Long-term follow-up pre-post-intervention design. SUBJECTS A total of 29 subjects with a spinal cord injury and chronic neuropathic pain from 4 Dutch rehabilitation centres. METHODS Primary outcomes were pain intensity and pain-related disability (Chronic Pain Grade questionnaire). Secondary outcomes were mood (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), participation in activities (Utrecht Activities List), and life satisfaction (Life Satisfaction Questionnaire). Random coefficient analysis was used for the analyses of measurements before (t1), immediate post-intervention (t2), and 6 (t3), 9 (t4), and 12 (t5) months follow-up. RESULTS The analyses showed significant improvements on pain intensity (t1-t2 and t1-t5) and pain-related disability (t1-t2, t1-t4, and t1-t5), anxiety and participation in activities (t1-t2, t1-t3, and t1-t5). CONCLUSION This exploratory study suggests that a multidisciplinary cognitive behavioural programme might have lasting improvements on pain intensity, pain-related disability, anxiety, and participation in activities in people with chronic neuropathic spinal cord injury pain and highlights the potential of such programmes.