DOLORisk
In DOLORisk: Understanding risk factors and determinants for neuropathic pain a consortium of European universities and SMEs led by the University of Oxford study the exact nature of risk factors for neuropathic pain and their interaction.
Neuropathic pain arises as a consequence of a disease or lesion in the somatosensory nervous system. Neuropathic pain is common, affecting 8% of the population, and will present a rising health burden in the future. Neuropathic pain results in significant morbidity, reduces quality of life and has a major deleterious impact on health in aging. However, not everyone with such a lesion develops significant neuropathic pain, and those who do develop it include a wide range of severity, impact and outcomes, and an unpredictable response to evidence-based treatment. This variation in pain prevalence and severity involves a complex interaction between genetics, environmental and clinical factors in a vulnerable individual.
The risk factors for neuropathic pain are currently poorly understood and will be the focus of the project. Identifying these risk factors will have a significant impact on health both in identifying vulnerable patients and potential for developing new treatment modalities.
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 633491.