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Pain, psychoaffective symptoms, and quality of life in human T cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1): a cross-sectional study

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Abstract

The objective of this study is to describe the chronic pain characteristics in individuals infected with human T cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) per subgroup (asymptomatic, oligosymptomatic, and HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP)) compared with controls with chronic pain without HTLV-1. This is a cross-sectional study investigating associations between pain profile, psychopathological symptoms, and quality of life. Individuals infected with HTLV-1 refer high-intensity pain compared with controls, with more severe characteristics being present in oligosymptomatic and HAM/TSP individuals. Oligosymptomatic individuals have a tendency of diffuse and frequent pain, mainly in the head/neck region and more depressive symptoms, resembling nociplastic pain. Neuropathic pain was localized in the lower limbs in all infected groups, worse in HAM/TSP individuals, and associated with a worse perception of quality of life. Pain was associated to higher levels of TNF-alpha and interferon-gamma. HTLV-1 pain is generally more severe when compared with other chronic pain syndromes, being present mainly in the lower limbs. Certain characteristics are typical, depending on the affected group. Oligosymptomatic and HAM/TSP individuals present more diffuse pain, with higher intensity and greater impact in quality of life. Increased levels of inflammatory cytokines are associated with HTLV-1-related pain.

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Acknowledgments

We wish to acknowledge Dr. Edgar de Carvalho, Coordinator of the Multidisciplinary HTLV Ambulatory of Professor Edgard Santos Hospital for allowing this work to be held at this service. We also wish to thank to the Professors Harriet I. Kemop and Andrew Rice, and Pain Study Group (Iasmyn Adélia Victor Fernandes de Oliveira and Davi Tanajura Costa) for their valuable contribution in the participants’ assessment and critical review of the manuscript.

Funding

Studies developed in this outpatient clinic are funded by the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq). This study was also funded by Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior—Brasil (CAPES)—Finance Code 001, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina e Saúde, Faculdade de Medicina da Bahia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate, Program on Medicine and Health, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil

    Dislene Nascimento dos Santos & Abrahão Fontes Baptista

  2. Nucleus of Studies on Health and Functionality, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil

    Dislene Nascimento dos Santos, Katia Nunes Sá, Fernanda C. Queirós, Alaí Barbosa Paixão, Kionna Oliveira Bernardes Santos & Abrahão Fontes Baptista

  3. Immunology Service, Professor Edgard Santos Hospital, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil

    Dislene Nascimento dos Santos & Rosana Cristina Pereira de Andrade

  4. Center for Mathematics, Computation and Cognition, Federal University of ABC, Santo Andre, Sao Paulo, Brazil

    Abrahão Fontes Baptista

  5. Graduate Program on Neuroscience and Cognition, Federal University of ABC, Sao Paulo, Santo Andre, Brazil

    Janine Ribeiro Camatti & Abrahão Fontes Baptista

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  1. Dislene Nascimento dos Santos
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Correspondence to Abrahão Fontes Baptista.

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Informed consent

This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Professor Edgard Santos University Hospital, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador-BA, Brazil. All participants signed an Informed Consent before inclusion on the study (protocol 21/2011).

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dos Santos, D.N., Sá, K.N., Queirós, F.C. et al. Pain, psychoaffective symptoms, and quality of life in human T cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1): a cross-sectional study. J. Neurovirol. 27, 838–848 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13365-020-00914-4

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