Reliability and Validity of the Turkish Version of the SCIPI

Overview

Pain after spinal cord injury (SCI) is common, with the majority of individuals experiencing chronic pain and a significant portion reporting severe pain that interferes with their daily lives. Pain due to SCI is divided into two main groups: nociceptive and neuropathic. Clinical expertise is required for the accurate classification of these types of pain. Existing screening tools are generally evaluated with heterogeneous samples and therefore have limited accuracy in individuals with SCI. To address this deficiency, the Spinal Cord Injury Pain Instrument (SCIPI) was developed to define neuropathic pain in a manner specific to SCI. The SCIPI consists of seven items that assess the characteristics of pain and triggering factors. Although this scale, developed in English, has been translated into different languages, there is no Turkish version. This study aimed to examine the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the SCIPI.

Pain after spinal cord injury (SCI) is a common problem. Approximately 80% of individuals with SCI experience chronic pain, while one-third experience pain severe enough to interfere with their daily lives. Pain in individuals with SCI is divided into two main categories: nociceptive pain and neuropathic pain. Nociceptive pain is defined as pain that occurs when sensory receptors in peripheral nerves detect and encode noxious stimuli, while neuropathic pain is defined as pain that occurs as a result of a lesion or disease of the somatosensory nervous system. The classification of pain types is made both by the spinal cord injury pain classification developed by the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) and its successors. However, clinical expertise is required to apply these classifications correctly. For this reason, various screening tools have been developed over the years to more easily distinguish between neuropathic pain and non-neuropathic pain. These tools are usually based on a combination of physical examination findings and self-report or on self-report alone. However, existing tools have generally been evaluated with samples with heterogeneous etiologies and have been found to have lower accuracy rates in individuals with spinal cord injury. In response to the need for a screening tool that is both sensitive and specific to distinguish neuropathic pain in individuals with SCI, the Spinal Cord Injury Pain Scale (SCIAS) was developed. This tool consists of seven features developed in light of clinical experience and literature analysis to distinguish neuropathic pain. These features include pain descriptions, pain triggered by dynamic touch, factors that increase and decrease pain, timing of pain, and pain felt in sensitive areas. Although the SCIAS has similar features to other pain screening tools, it has the potential to better distinguish the specific nature of pain associated with SCI. The SCIAS, which was developed in English, has been translated into Chinese, French, and Portuguese. A Turkish version is needed. This study aimed to examine the reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the SCIAS.