Validity and Reliability of the Japanese Version of the painDETECT Questionnaire: A Multicenter Observational Study

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Japanese version of the painDETECT questionnaire (PDQ-J). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The translation of the original PDQ into Japanese was achieved according to the published guidelines. Subsequently, a multicenter observational study was performed to evaluate the validity and reliability of PDQ-J, including 113 Japanese patients suffering from pain. RESULTS: Factor analysis revealed that the main component of PDQ-J comprises two determinative factors, which account for 62% of the variance observed. Moreover, PDQ-J revealed statistically significant correlation with the intensity of pain (Numerical Rating Scale), Physical Component Score, and Mental Component Score of the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). The Cronbach alpha for the total score was 0.78 and for the main component was 0.80. In the analysis of test–retest method, the intraclass correlation coefficient between the two scores was 0.94. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated the validity and reliability of PDQ-J. We encourage researchers and clinicians to use this tool for the assessment of patients who suffer suspected neuropathic pain.