Translation to Portuguese and Validation of the Douleur Neuropathique 4 Questionnaire

Santos, Jamile G.; Brito, Jacilene O.; de Andrade, Daniel C.; Kaziyama, Viviane M.; Ferreira, Karine A.; Souza, Israel; Teixeira, Manoel J.; Bouhassira, Didier; Baptista, Abrahão F.

doi:10.1016/j.jpain.2009.09.014

« Previous Next »The Journal of Pain
Volume 11, Issue 5 , Pages 484-490, May 2010

Translation to Portuguese and Validation of the Douleur Neuropathique 4 Questionnaire

Jamile G. Santos
- Neuromusculoskeletal Dynamics Research Group, Bahian Foundation for Science Development, Bahian Medical and Public Health School, Salvador, BA, Brazil
Jacilene O. Brito
- Neuromusculoskeletal Dynamics Research Group, Bahian Foundation for Science Development, Bahian Medical and Public Health School, Salvador, BA, Brazil
Daniel C. de Andrade
- Pain Group, Department of Neurology, and Department of University of São Paulo, Brazil
- Cancer Institute of the State of São Paulo, Brazil
- Discipline of Neurology University of São Paulo, Brazil
Viviane M. Kaziyama
- Pain Group, Department of Neurology, and Department of University of São Paulo, Brazil
Karine A. Ferreira
- Pain Group, Department of Neurology, and Department of University of São Paulo, Brazil
- Cancer Institute of the State of São Paulo, Brazil
- University of Guarulhos, UnG, Brazil
Israel Souza
- Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology, Paracambi, RJ, Brazil
Manoel J. Teixeira
- Pain Group, Department of Neurology, and Department of University of São Paulo, Brazil
- Discipline of Neurology University of São Paulo, Brazil
Didier Bouhassira
- INSERM U-792, Centre d'Evaluation et de Traitement de la Douleur, Boulogne-Billancourt, France
Abrahão F. Baptista
- Biomorphology Department, Health Sciences Institute, Federal University of Bahia, BA, Brazil
- Address reprint requests to Abrahão F. Baptista, Departamento de Biomorfologia, Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Av. Reitor Miguel Calmon, s/n – Vale do Canela – Salvador, BA, Brasil. CEP 40.110-902.

Received 27 May 2009; received in revised form 13 August 2009; accepted 9 September 2009. published online 16 December 2009.

Abstract

The Douleur Neuropathique 4 (DN4) questionnaire was developed by the French Neuropathic Pain Group and is a simple and objective tool, with the ability to distinguish nociceptive from neuropathic pain. The purpose of this work was to validate the DN4 questionnaire in the Portuguese language in order to allow its use in clinical and research settings. A double-blind, accuracy study was conducted, consisting of translation, back-translation, literal evaluation, semantic equivalence, and communication with the target population. The Portuguese version of the questionnaire was applied in a sample of 101 patients with neuropathic (N = 42) or nociceptive pain (N = 59), ranked according to medical diagnosis. The reproducibility, reliability and validity of the instrument were analyzed, and showed a high diagnostic power for this version of the DN4 questionnaire. The Portuguese version of the DN4 questionnaire presented good validity and reliability, allowing it to identify neuropathic pain and neuropathic characteristics of mixed pain syndromes.

Perspective

This article presents the first validated neuropathic pain questionnaire in the Portuguese language and represents a useful tool in the assessment of neuropathic pain both in the clinical setting and in population-based studies. The sensible and quick format of this instrument are key factors that will contribute to its widespread use, permitting a true recognition of patients with neuropathic pain.

Key words: Neuropathic pain, validation, questionnaire DN4