background: Neuropathic pain (NP) is a leading cause of disability and has been shown to be frequently associated with impaired quality of life (QoL) and mental health conditions such as depression  Objective: to demonstrate the relationship between the depression and the quality of life on patient suffering from neuropathic pain.
Methods: We conducted a multicenter observational study including patients consulting for neuropathic pain at the Pain Treatment Center in Tunis and the functional exploration department at Hedi Chaker Hospital. Patients with the history of psychiatric follow up or traumatic life events during the last three months and pregnant women were excluded. The diagnosis and intensity of neuropathic pain were assessed according to the neuropathic pain questionnaire (DN4) and the visual analog evaluation scale, respectively. The impact of neuropathic pain was assessed with the brief pain inventory (BPI). Depression was evaluated according to the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.
Results: Sixty-one patients were recruited. The sex ratio was 0.52. The mean age was 52.7 ± 14.3 years. The average intensity of the pain was 7.57 ± 1.73. The mean DN4 score was 6.49 ± 1.54. The disease impact on quality of life was moderate (mean global BPI: 5.53 ±1.76). Forty patients had depressive symptomatology with a mean depression score of 12.9 ± 3.79. Ten patients had severe depression. Significant correlations were found between the depression score and the BPI score (p=0, r=0.59). Some items were correlated to depression: capacity of walk (p=0, r=0.49), relation with others (p=0, r=0.5), sleeping (p=0.004, r=0.25) and life enjoyment (p=0.001, r=0.42).
Conclusion: Depression and pain had both individual and additive adverse associations with quality of life. Enhanced detection and management of this disabling symptom dyad is warranted.

05 - DID DEPRESSED PATIENTS SUFFERING FROM NEUROPATHIC PAIN HAVE A POOR QUALITY OF LIFE?