Riassunto dello studio

Forty-four patients with spinal cord injury and subsequent neuropathic pain were randomized to receive mental imagery training (n=22) or control (n=22) for the improvement of neuropathic pain and quality of life. Outcomes of interest included pain on a Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) and Visual Analog Scale (VAS), the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) total score and sub-scores, the Neuropathic Pain Symptom Inventory (NPSI) scale, and the Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC) scale. Outcomes were assessed upon completion of the 4 week intervention protocol. Results demonstrated statistically significantly lower NRS pain scores (p=0.001), VAS pain scores (p=0.001), and BPI total score and sub-scores (p=0.001 for all) in favour of the mental imagery group compared to the control group. A higher number of patients in the mental imagery group reported an improvement in pain. The reduction in neuropathic pain symptoms, as measured by the NPSI was statistically significantly greater in the mental imagery group compared to the control group (p<0.001).