Clinical Manual for Management of the HIV-Infected ... - myCME.com

Pain Syndrome and Peripheral Neuropathy
Background
The International Association for the Study of Pain
defines pain as “an unpleasant sensory and emotional
experience associated with actual or potential tissue
damage or described in terms of such damage.” Pain is
subjective, it is whatever patient says it is, and it exists
whenever the patient says it does. Pain is a common
symptom in people with HIV infection, especially in
those with advanced HIV disease. It occurs in 30-60%
of HIV/AIDS patients and can diminish their quality
of life significantly. Like cancer patients, HIV patients
experience, on average, 2.5 to 3 types of pain at once.
Pain in HIV-infected patients may have many causes
(as discussed below).
Peripheral Neuropathy
Pain from HIV-associated peripheral neuropathy
is particularly common, and may be debilitating.
Peripheral neuropathy is clinically present in
approximately 30% of HIV-infected individuals and
typically presents as distal sensory polyneuropathy
(DSP). It may be related to HIV itself (especially at
CD4 counts