Clinical Rehabilitation 2010; 24: 444–453 Factors associated with phantom limb pain: a 3-year

Objective: To analyse the prevalence of phantom (limb) pain over time and to analyse factors associated with phantom (limb) pain in a prospective cohort of amputees. Design: A multicentre longitudinal study. Patients: One hundred and thirty-four patients scheduled for amputation were included. Methods: Patients filled in questionnaires before amputation, and postal questionnaires six months, 1 years and 2 years to a maximum of 3 years after amputation. Preoperative assessment included patients ’ characteristics, date, side and level of, and reason for amputation. The follow-up questionnaires assessed the frequencies of the experienced phantom pain, prosthetic use and walking distance. The occurrence of phantom pain was defined as phantom pain a few times a day or more frequently. Results: Pre- and postoperative questionnaires were available filled in by 85 ampu-tees (33 females and 52 males). The percentage of lower limb amputees wit