Rehabilitation medicine approach of patients with complex regional pain syndrome, type 1 (upper extremity)

The objective of this retrospective and long term follow-up study was to identify impairments resulting from complex regional pain syndrome type I (CRPS-I), of the upper extremity, and to describe the psychosocial. aspects such as life events (SLE) and the psychological history in CRPS-I patients. General health and long-term changes in occupation were assessed by means of the RAND-36and a structured interview. The study group consisted of a referred sample of 65 CRPS-l patients with clinical signs of the upper extremity. CRPS-I appeared after fractures of the wrist or hand in 29 patients (45%) or after a carpal tunnel release in 9 patients (14%). The mean interval between the diagnosis CRPS-I and our evaluation was 5.5 years (sd = 0.8; range = 3-9 years). Significant differences in terms of impairments were found between the affected and the non-affected side (p SLE's were present in 32 patients and a psychological history in 22 patients (60% had a SLE and/or a psychological history. 17 patients had to change occupation after CRPS-I and nearly 30% had to stop work for more than one year.