Chronic spinal disorders and psychopathology. research findings and theoretical considerations

Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain is Associated With Depressive Symptoms in Community-Dwelling Older Adults Independent of Physical Activity

BACKGROUND

Prevalence of chronic musculoskeletal pain and depressive symptoms in adults is high; however, whether there is an association between these conditions in older adults is unknown.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to investigate the association of depressive symptoms with chronic musculoskeletal pain, and specifically with chronic LBP and knee osteoarthritis (OA), in community-dwelling older adults. In addition, we explored whether physical activity can mitigate these associations.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study design. A cross-sectional study design. Participants recruited were older adults (age ≥60 years) living in the community. Chronic musculoskeletal pain was assessed by specific questions regarding the presence of chronic LBP and knee OA. Depressive symptoms were assessed with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Multivariable regression model adjusted for potential confounders (i.e., age, sex, economic status, body composition, and physical activity) was used to investigate the association between chronic musculoskeletal pain and depressive symptoms. Separate analyses were also conducted for older adults with LBP and with knee OA.

RESULTS

A total of 509 (69% women) older adults were recruited. The regression analysis showed that musculoskeletal pain was associated with higher depressive symptoms (β  = 2.52, 95% CI: 0.50 to 4.54; p-value < .05) compared with older adults without chronic musculoskeletal pain. Similarly, in the fully adjusted model, which included physical activity, LBP was associated with higher depressive symptoms (β  = 2.80, 95% CI: 0.82 to 4.79; p-value < .01). The association between knee OA and depressive symptoms was not statistically significant after adjusting for physical activity (β  = 2.00, 95% CI: -0.13 to 4.13; p-value = .06).

CONCLUSION

Older adults with chronic musculoskeletal pain have higher depressive symptoms scores, when compared to those without musculoskeletal pain. Physical activity does not seem to influence this association.

Bidirectional Comorbid Associations between Back Pain and Major Depression in US Adults

Low back pain and depression have been globally recognized as key public health problems and they are considered co-morbid conditions. This study explores both cross-sectional and longitudinal comorbid associations between back pain and major depression in the adult population in the United States. We used data from the Midlife in the United States survey (MIDUS), linking MIDUS II and III with a sample size of 2358. Logistic regression and Poisson regression models were used. The cross-sectional analysis showed significant associations between back pain and major depression. The longitudinal analysis indicated that back pain at baseline was prospectively associated with major depression at follow-up (PR 1.96, CI: 1.41, 2.74), controlling for health behavioral and demographic variables. Major depression at baseline was also prospectively associated with back pain at follow-up (PR 1.48, CI: 1.04, 2.13), controlling for a set of related confounders. These findings of a bidirectional comorbid association fill a gap in the current understanding of these comorbid conditions and could have clinical implications for the management and prevention of both depression and low back pain.

Depression is Closely Associated With Chronic Low Back Pain in Patients Over 50 Years of Age: A Cross-sectional Study Using the Sixth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES VI-2)

STUDY DESIGN

A cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE

This study was designed to analyze the relationship between the presence and severity of depression and low back pain (LBP) in a representative sample of the general population using a self-report screening questionnaire for depression.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

There is increasing evidence supporting an association between depression and LBP. However, the degree of the association between these two conditions in the general population is poorly understood.

METHODS

Health surveys and examinations were conducted on a nationally representative sample (n = 7550) of Koreans. LBP status was determined by a simple survey response concerning LBP >30 days during the past 3 months. Depression was defined as individuals with a total score >10 on the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-9 survey. The severity of depression was categorized as none (0-4), mild (5-9), moderate (10-14), moderately severe (15-19), and severe (20-27) according to PHQ-9 score. Data regarding demographics, socioeconomic history, and comorbid health conditions were used to analyze adjusted, weighted logistic regression models.

RESULTS

In the Korean population, the prevalence of depression was significantly greater in individuals with LBP (20.3%) than in those without LBP (4.5%). On multivariate logistic regression analysis, the presence of depression was significantly associated with LBP (adjusted odd ratio [aOR]: 3.93, P < 0.001). The risk of LBP increased with increasing severity of depression as follows: severe depression (aOR: 9.28, P < 0.001), moderately severe depression (aOR: 3.24, P = 0.001), moderate depression (aOR: 4.97, P < 0.001), and mild depression (aOR: 2.48, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Depression is more common in patients with LBP among Koreans. The presence of depression was significantly associated with LBP, especially in severely depressed individuals.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

3.

Clinical impact of JOABPEQ mental health scores in patients with low back pain: Analysis using the neuropathic pain screening tool painDETECT

BACKGROUND

In patients with low back pain (LBP) who combine psychosocial factors with clinical findings of pain, there is a possibility that the psychosocial factors modify the pain. In the current study, we investigated the relationship between the Japanese Orthopaedic Association Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire (JOABPEQ) mental health score and the characteristics of LBP.

METHODS

Of 650 patients with LBP, 319 were excluded, leaving 331 patients included in this study. All patients between the ages of 20 and 79 were asked to complete a set of questionnaires including the Japanese version of the painDETECT (PDQ-J), Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), the JOABPEQ, and the Short Form 36 (SF-36). Based on their JOABPEQ mental health scores, the patients were divided into two groups: those with JOABPEQ mental health score of <50 were classified as low score group, and those scoring ≥50 were classified as the high score group. To identify any differences between the two groups, age, sex, PDQ-J score, NRS score, duration of symptoms, percentage of pain components, percentage of lower limb symptoms and self-reported general health were compared.

RESULTS

196 patients (59.2%) were classified into the low score group, and 135 (40.8%) into the high score group. The mean PDQ-J and NRS scores and percentage of LBP patients with neuropathic pain and lower limb symptoms were higher in the low score group. We also evaluated the relationship between lower limb symptoms and JOABPEQ mental health scores in 331 LBP patients. The results show that a significantly greater number of LBP patients in the low mental score group had lower limb symptoms compared to the high mental score group.

CONCLUSION

We found that psychological factors may modify pain intensity and may lead to an exaggerated or histrionic presentation of the pain, or neuropathic LBP may be exacerbating psychological factors.

Longitudinal Assessment of Self-Reported Recent Back Pain and Combat Deployment in the Millennium Cohort Study

STUDY DESIGN

A prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE

Activities performed during military operations vary in complexity and physical demand. The risk for mental illness following military combat deployment has been well documented. However, information regarding the possible contribution of back pain to decreased mental and functional health is scarce. To our knowledge, this is the first study to prospectively assess deployment and self-reported recent back pain in a population-based U.S. military cohort.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

The study consisted of Millennium Cohort participants who were followed for the development of back pain for an average of 3.9 years.

METHODS

Descriptive statistics and longitudinal analyses were used to assess the temporal relationship of deployment with self-reported recent back pain at follow-up (N = 53,933).

RESULTS

Recent back pain was self-reported by 8379 (15.5%) participants at follow-up. After adjusting for covariates, deployers with combat experiences had higher odds [odds ratio (OR) = 1.38, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 1.28-1.50] of recent back pain than noncombat deployers. There was no association between recent back pain and nondeployers compared with noncombat deployers. Service support/supply handlers were at an increased odds of reporting recent back pain (OR = 1.11, 95% CI: 1.02-1.21) than functional support/administration occupations. Occupations associated with a physically demanding work environment had a higher risk of back pain.

CONCLUSION

Deployers with combat experiences were more likely to report back pain postdeployment. This well-defined group of military personnel may potentially benefit from integrated prevention efforts.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

3.

Scoliosis and the Subsequent Risk of Depression: A Nationwide Population-based Cohort Study in Taiwan

STUDY DESIGN

A retrospective cohort study by using the Taiwanese National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD).

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study is to conduct a large-scale cohort study to investigate the relationship between scoliosis and depression.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

The association between scoliosis and depression has rarely been studied in Asian populations.

METHODS

The study cohort consisted of patients with diagnosis of scoliosis between 2003 and 2005 (N = 1409). A comparison cohort was constructed from five age- and gender-matched control subjects selected via random sampling (N = 7045). Data on adjusted hazard ratios (AHRs) of depression, 5-year freedom from depression rates, and risk factors for depression for the two cohorts were compared. All subjects were tracked for 5 years from the date of cohort entry to identify the development of depression. Cox proportional hazard regressions were performed to evaluate the 5-year freedom from depression rates. This study is supported by the University research grant without any study-specific conflicts.

RESULTS

During the 5-year follow-up period, 116 and 307 depression patients belonged to the scoliosis cohort and the comparison cohort, respectively. The AHRs of depression in patients with scoliosis was higher [AHR 1.95; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.58-2.42; P < 0.001] than that of the controls during the 5-year follow-up. The risk of depression also demonstrated to be age-dependent for scoliosis patients. The middle-age (41-65 years old) and young adults (18-40 years old) scoliosis patients had higher AHRs (middle-age: AHR 2.45; 95% CI 1.67-3.59; P < 0.05; young adult: AHR 1.99; 95% CI 1.41-2.82; P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The population-based study indicated that patients with scoliosis may have an increased risk of depression. Health care professionals should consider designing and planning effective psychological prevention and treatment for scoliosis patients.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

4.

Chronic Low Back Pain: Perception and Coping With Pain in the Presence of Psychiatric Comorbidity

This retrospective study investigated the influence of psychiatric comorbidity on pain perception and coping with pain in tertiary pain clinic patients, 427 treated for chronic low back pain (CLBP) and 629 for other forms of chronic pain (CG). No differences in psychosomatic dimensions were found between the two groups, but Italian Pain Questionnaire dimensions and intensity scores (t = 7.35; p < 0.0001) were higher in CLBP than in CG subjects. According to the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview, CLBP patients also had a higher prevalence of lifetime major depressive episodes (χ2 = 4.96; p < 0.05), dysthymic disorder (χ2 = 4.64; p < 0.05), suicide risk (χ2 = 10.43; p < 0.01), and agoraphobia (χ2 = 6.31; p < 0.05) than CG patients did. The Multidimensional Pain Inventory showed a close association between CLBP and both agoraphobia (χ2 = 3.74; p < 0.05) and dysfunctional coping style (χ2 = 8.25; p < 0.01), which increased disability. Both agoraphobia and lifetime depression were associated with an overall increase in dimensions and pain intensity in CLBP, but not in CG.

Cost-utility of cognitive behavioral therapy for low back pain from the commercial payer perspective

STUDY DESIGN

Markov cost-utility model.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the cost-utility of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for the treatment of persistent nonspecific low back pain (LBP) from the perspective of US commercial payers.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

CBT is widely deemed clinically effective for LBP treatment. The evidence is suggestive of cost-effectiveness.

METHODS

We constructed and validated a Markov intention-to-treat model to estimate the cost-utility of CBT, with 1-year and 10-year time horizons. We applied likelihood of improvement and utilities from a randomized controlled trial assessing CBT to treat LBP. The trial randomized subjects to treatment but subjects freely sought health care services. We derived the cost of equivalent rates and types of services from US commercial claims for LBP for a similar population. For the 10-year estimates, we derived recurrence rates from the literature. The base case included medical and pharmaceutical services and assumed gradual loss of skill in applying CBT techniques. Sensitivity analyses assessed the distribution of service utilization, utility values, and rate of LBP recurrence. We compared health plan designs. Results are based on 5000 iterations of each model and expressed as an incremental cost per quality-adjusted life-year.

RESULTS

The incremental cost-utility of CBT was $7197 per quality-adjusted life-year in the first year and $5855 per quality-adjusted life-year over 10 years. The results are robust across numerous sensitivity analyses. No change of parameter estimate resulted in a difference of more than 7% from the base case for either time horizon. Including chiropractic and/or acupuncture care did not substantively affect cost-effectiveness. The model with medical but no pharmaceutical costs was more cost-effective ($5238 for 1 yr and $3849 for 10 yr).

CONCLUSION

CBT is a cost-effective approach to manage chronic LBP among commercial health plans members. Cost-effectiveness is demonstrated for multiple plan designs.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

2.

What is the best screening test for depression in chronic spinal pain patients?

BACKGROUND CONTEXT

High prevalence rates of depression have been found in patients with chronic spinal disorder (CSD). The biopsychosocial model has become widely adopted and, with it, the role of psychopathology in the development and/or exacerbation of CSD has become increasingly recognized. Standardized diagnostic criteria, such as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), have been used to diagnose major depressive disorder (MDD). Many measures of MDD (and depressive symptom inventories) have been developed during the past 50 years, but their comparative utility in CSD populations is still unclear.

PURPOSE

To systemically compare the performance of depression screening questionnaires in detecting MDD among a large sample of patients with CSD.

STUDY DESIGN/SETTING

Prospective cohort study comparing the screening ability of four popular depression measures for diagnosing MDD against the "gold standard" Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders (SCID-I), using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis in a CSD population.

PATIENT SAMPLE

A consecutive cohort of 546 patients with CSD admitted to an interdisciplinary functional restoration program.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Sensitivity, specificity, ROC curves, area under the curve (AUC), and optimal cutoff points that are most closely related to the prevalence rates of MDD, with balanced sensitivity and specificity analysis.

METHODS

Using the SCID-I diagnosis as a "gold standard," the ability of four screening measures in detecting MDD were compared. These included: the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI); Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD); 9-Item Patient Health Questionnaire Depression Module (PHQ-9); and the Short Form-36 (SF-36).

RESULTS

Of 542 CSD patients, 331 (61.1%) were diagnosed with MDD by the SCID-I. Results of the ROC analysis revealed that the BDI (AUC 0.768), HRSD (AUC 0.796), and PHQ-9 (AUC 0.768) have similar abilities to discriminate between depressed and nondepressed patients in this population. These depression measures outperformed the two mental health scales derived from the SF-36 (Mental Component Summary score/5-Item Mental Health Index; AUC 0.679-0.715). The optimal cut-off scores of 15 (for the BDI), 17 (for the HRSD), and 10 (for the PHQ-9) were also determined. Although the greatest overall accuracy (sensitivity of 81.3% and specificity of 65.4%) was obtained with the HRSD, it is the only clinician-administered instrument. Self-report measures of depression (the BDI and PHQ-9) showed comparable abilities to detect depression, only slightly less than the HRSD.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared to the HRSD, both BDI and PHQ-9 are relatively short and easy to self-administer. The cut-off scores established in this study may be used to reliably determine whether a person should be evaluated more thoroughly for an MDD diagnosis. Using an acknowledged "gold standard," the HRSD, BDI and PHQ-9 showed similar validity to recommend their use for future clinical and research purposes. The SF-36 is less appropriate for diagnosing MDD.

Reliability and validity of the korean version of the pain disability questionnaire

Objective

To translate the English version of the Pain Disability Questionnaire (PDQ) into Korean and to investigate the reliability and validity of the Korean version of the PDQ (K-PDQ) in patients suffering chronic disabling musculoskeletal disorders (CDMDs).

Methods

The English version of the PDQ was translated into Korean. Ten patients with CDMDs were randomly selected for a pilot study to assess the comprehensibility of the pre-final version. One hundred and thirty-nine patients suffering from CDMDs for more than 3 months were enrolled in this study. Follow-up questionnaires were obtained to examine the test-retest reliability. Concurrent validity was evaluated by comparing the K-PDQ with the visual analogue scale (VAS). Construct validity was evaluated by comparing the K-PDQ with the brief form of the World Health Organization quality of life assessment instrument (WHOQOL-BREF) using Pearson correlation coefficient. Reliability was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and internal consistency was determined by Cronbach's alpha.

Results

Test-retest reliability was assessed in 70 patients, with an average time interval of 12 days. The ICC was 0.958 (p<0.001). Internal consistency reached Cronbach's alpha of 0.933 for the functional component and 0.870 for the psychosocial component. The correlation coefficient for the K-PDQ when compared with the VAS was 0.834 in the first assessment and 0.831 in the second assessment. All domains of the WHOQOL-BREF showed a significant negative correlation with the K-PDQ.

Conclusion

The K-PDQ is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring disability and can be used to assess disability and treatment outcomes in Korean patients with CDMD.

The temporal relation between pain and depression: results from the longitudinal aging study Amsterdam

OBJECTIVE

Pain and depression are both common in old age, but their (long-term) temporal relationship remains unknown. This study is designed to determine whether pain predicts the onset of depression and vice versa.

METHODS

This is a prospective, population-based cohort study with 12-year follow-up and 3-year intervals in the Netherlands (Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam). At baseline, participants were aged 55 to 85 years (n = 2028). Main measurements outcomes were incident depression defined as crossing the cutoff of 16 and showing a relevant change (≥ 5 points) on the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale among nondepressed participants and incident pain defined as a score of 2 or higher on the pain scale of the 5-item Nottingham Health Profile in pain-free participants. Multiple imputations were adopted to estimate missing values.

RESULTS

In nondepressed participants (n = 1769), a higher level of pain was predictive of incident depression in multiple extended Cox regression analyses (hazard rate [HR] = 1.13 [95% confidence interval {CI}: 1.05-1.22], p = .001), which all remained significant after correction for sociodemographic characteristics, life-style characteristics, functional limitations, and chronic diseases (HR = 1.09 [95% CI = 1.01-1.18], p = .035). In the pain-free participants (n = 1420), depressive symptoms at baseline predicted incident pain (HR = 1.02 [95% CI: 1.01-1.04], p = .006). This depression measure did not independently predicted the onset of pain in the fully adjusted models.

CONCLUSIONS

As pain precedes the onset of depression, strategies to prevent depression in chronic pain patients are warranted. In contrast, no effects of depression on the development of subsequent pain were found when adjusting for covariates.

Alcohol dependence as a chronic pain disorder

Dysregulation of pain neurocircuitry and neurochemistry has been increasingly recognized as playing a critical role in a diverse spectrum of diseases including migraine, fibromyalgia, depression, and PTSD. Evidence presented here supports the hypothesis that alcohol dependence is among the pathologies arising from aberrant neurobiological substrates of pain. In this review, we explore the possible influence of alcohol analgesia and hyperalgesia in promoting alcohol misuse and dependence. We examine evidence that neuroanatomical sites involved in the negative emotional states of alcohol dependence also play an important role in pain transmission and may be functionally altered under chronic pain conditions. We also consider possible genetic links between pain transmission and alcohol dependence. We propose an allostatic load model in which episodes of alcohol intoxication and withdrawal, traumatic stressors, and injury are each capable of dysregulating an overlapping set of neural substrates to engender sensory and affective pain states that are integral to alcohol dependence and comorbid conditions such as anxiety, depression, and chronic pain.

High levels of N-palmitoylethanolamide and N-stearoylethanolamide in microdialysate samples from myalgic trapezius muscle in women

BACKGROUND

N-acylethanolamines (NAEs) are endogenous compounds that regulate inflammation and pain. These include the cannabinoid ligand anandamide (AEA) and the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α ligand palmitoylethanolamide (PEA). Little is known as to the levels of NAEs in pain states in human, particularly in the skeletal muscle. The aim of this study was to investigate the levels of these lipid mediators in muscle dialysate from women with chronic neck-/shoulder pain compared to healthy controls.

METHODS

Eleven women with chronic neck-/shoulder pain and eleven healthy women participated in this study. All participants went through microdialysis procedures in the trapezius muscle. Muscle dialysate samples were collected during four hours and analysed by nano liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (nLC-MS/MS).

RESULTS

We were able to detect AEA, PEA, N-stearoylethanolamine (SEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) in a single chromatographic run. Of the NAEs studied, PEA and SEA were clearly detectable in the muscle microdialysate samples. The muscle dialysate levels of PEA and SEA were significantly higher in myalgic subjects compared to healthy controls.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates that microdialysis in combination with mass spectrometry can be used for analysing NAE's in human muscle tissue regularly over time. Furthermore the significant group differences in the concentration of PEA and SEA in this study might fill an important gap in our knowledge of mechanisms in chronic myalgia in humans. In the long run this expanded understanding of nociceptive and anitinociceptive processes in the muscle may provide a base for ameliorating treatment and rehabilitation of pain.

An increased response to experimental muscle pain is related to psychological status in women with chronic non-traumatic neck-shoulder pain

Background

Neck-shoulder pain conditions, e.g., chronic trapezius myalgia, have been associated with sensory disturbances such as increased sensitivity to experimentally induced pain. This study investigated pain sensitivity in terms of bilateral pressure pain thresholds over the trapezius and tibialis anterior muscles and pain responses after a unilateral hypertonic saline infusion into the right legs tibialis anterior muscle and related those parameters to intensity and area size of the clinical pain and to psychological factors (sleeping problems, depression, anxiety, catastrophizing and fear-avoidance).

Methods

Nineteen women with chronic non-traumatic neck-shoulder pain but without simultaneous anatomically widespread clinical pain (NSP) and 30 age-matched pain-free female control subjects (CON) participated in the study.

Results

NSP had lower pressure pain thresholds over the trapezius and over the tibialis anterior muscles and experienced hypertonic saline-evoked pain in the tibialis anterior muscle to be significantly more intense and locally more widespread than CON. More intense symptoms of anxiety and depression together with a higher disability level were associated with increased pain responses to experimental pain induction and a larger area size of the clinical neck-shoulder pain at its worst.

Conclusion

These results indicate that central mechanisms e.g., central sensitization and altered descending control, are involved in chronic neck-shoulder pain since sensory hypersensitivity was found in areas distant to the site of clinical pain. Psychological status was found to interact with the perception, intensity, duration and distribution of induced pain (hypertonic saline) together with the spreading of clinical pain. The duration and intensity of pain correlated negatively with pressure pain thresholds.

Evaluation of the fear-avoidance model with health care workers experiencing acute/subacute pain

Studies in the literature do not show clear evidence supporting the relationship between pain and depressive symptoms in individuals experiencing acute/subacute pain compared to those experiencing chronic pain. However, more information is needed about which variables act as mediators in the pain-depression relationship in people having acute/subacute pain, before pain becomes chronic. Our objectives were to test the suitability of the fear-avoidance model in a sample of 110 health care workers experiencing acute/subacute pain using path analyses, to improve the model as needed, and to examine a model involving both pain catastrophizing and pain self-efficacy with work status as a final outcome. Overall, the results indicated that adjustments to the fear-avoidance model were required for people experiencing acute/subacute pain, in which fear-avoidance beliefs and depressive symptoms were concurrent rather than sequential. The catastrophizing concept was most closely associated with depressive symptoms, while pain self-efficacy was directly associated with fear-avoidance beliefs and indirectly to work outcomes. Assessing and modifying pain self-efficacy in acute/subacute pain patients is important for interventions aiming to decrease fear-avoidance and improve work outcomes.

Protocol for the Cognitive Interventions and Nutritional Supplements (CINS) trial: a randomized controlled multicenter trial of a brief intervention (BI) versus a BI plus cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT) versus nutritional supplements for patients with long-lasting muscle and back pain

Abstract

Trial Registration

http://www.clinicaltrials.gov, with registration number NCT00463970.

Disabling low back pain and depressive symptoms in the community-dwelling elderly: a prospective study

STUDY DESIGN

Analytic cross-sectional and cohort study.

OBJECTIVE

This study examines the prevalence and associations of low back pain (LBP) and depressive symptoms in a large population of elderly (65+), community-dwelling subjects.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

In adults, depression has been identified as predictive for LBP, while depression has also been found to be a possible consequence of LBP.

METHODS

Data of the Health Outcomes Survey that include a baseline (N = 91,347) and a follow-up survey (N = 55,690) after 2 years were analyzed cross-sectionally and prospectively. Degree of depressive symptoms and disabling LBP were described at both time points, as well as their interrelationships. An ordinal logistic regression analysis was performed to model the effects of different sociodemographic, clinical, and functional variables on LBP and depressive symptoms after 2 years.

RESULTS

Depressive symptoms were found in about 20% of the sample. Baseline depression symptoms increased the odds of disabling LBP after 2 years independently of sociodemographic characteristics, medical, and functional status. Disabling LBP at baseline increased the odds of depressive symptoms after 2 years to a similar degree.

CONCLUSION

Among community-dwelling elderly persons, depressive symptoms and disabling LBP are widespread. Depressive symptoms predict disabling LBP and vice versa. The set of predictors and their extent of contribution to the prognosis are strikingly similar. Research is warranted to identify possible common pathogenic mechanisms or mediating factors.

Do psychiatric disorders first appear preinjury or postinjury in chronic disabling occupational spinal disorders?

STUDY DESIGN

An epidemiologic prevalence study.

OBJECTIVES

To clarify the temporal association between work-related injury claims and psychiatric disorders in patients with chronic disabling occupational spinal disorders (CDOSDs).

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

Few empirical data are available regarding the "chicken-or-egg" question of which occurs first: the injury or incident culminating in the painful CDOSD or the psychiatric disturbance.

METHODS

Subjects attended a tertiary interdisciplinary rehabilitation program. Psychiatric disorders were assessed using the Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (SCID-DSM-IV). Psychiatric disorders were characterized as preexisting if they manifested themselves before the work-related injury claim (whether or not they resolved, continued, or reoccurred after injury). They were determined postinjury diagnoses only if they manifested for the first time after the injury claim.

RESULTS

A total of 38.7% of the present cohort had at least one preexisting major psychiatric disorder, while 98.9% developed one or more psychiatric disorders for the first time after injury onset (57.9% when pain disorder was excluded). The percentage of patients with preexisting psychiatric disorders was lower than general population base rates (48%). The first onset of certain psychiatric disorders was found to be elevated in patients only after the work-related injury; these included Pain Disorder (95.7%), Major Depressive Disorder (49.7%), and Opioid Dependence (15%). Moreover, 5 times as many patients with MDD, and 10 times as many with opioid dependence, developed these disorders for the first time after the injury.

CONCLUSIONS

In general, psychiatric disturbance is not a risk factor for developing a CDOSD. Psychiatric disorders are much more likely to develop after the onset of the work injury, indicating that such injuries and accompanying stressors are likely to be precipitants, rather than consequences, of psychopathology.

Stress-induced heart symptoms and perceptual biases in patients with congenital heart disease

BACKGROUND

The aim of the present study is to clarify whether biased symptom perception towards heart symptoms may explain a reduced quality of life in patients with congenital heart disease (ConHD). The present study tested the hypothesis that the combination of ConHD and high trait anxiety increases the perception of heart symptoms during acute stress.

METHODS

25 patients and 24 healthy participants completed a stressful computer task. Participant's heart and non-heart symptoms were measured after stress and after relaxation. Heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, and arterial partial pressure of CO2 were monitored continuously.

RESULTS

In line with the prediction, a combination of high trait anxiety and ConHD resulted in an increased perception of specifically heart symptoms during stress. Moreover, the increased perception of heart symptoms could not be explained by acute heart dysfunction.

CONCLUSIONS

Heart dysfunction is not the only cause of an increased perception of heart symptoms. A history of disease experience in combination with high trait anxiety may increase the perception of heart symptoms during stress and may eventually result in an increased risk of developing a reduced quality of life.

Prevalence of psychiatric disorders in patients with chronic disabling occupational spinal disorders

STUDY DESIGN

A prevalence study.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among a large group of patients with chronic disabling occupational spinal disorders (CDOSDs), using a reliable and valid diagnostic instrument.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

Although unrecognized and untreated psychiatric disorders have been found to interfere with successful treatment of CDOSD patients, little data are currently available regarding the psychiatric characteristics of patients claiming work-related injuries that result in CDOSDs.

METHODS

Psychiatric disorders in a consecutive group of CDOSD patients (n = 1,323) attending a tertiary referral center for patients with CDOSD were diagnosed using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. RESULTS.: Overall prevalence of psychiatric disorders was found to be significantly elevated in CDOSD patients compared with base rates in the general population. A majority (65%) of patients were diagnosed with at least one current disorder (not including Pain Disorder, which is nearly universal in this population), compared with only 15% of the general population. Major Depressive Disorder (56%), Substance Use Disorders (14%), Anxiety Disorders (11%), and Axis II Personality Disorders (70%) were the most common diagnoses.

CONCLUSIONS

Clinicians treating CDOSD patients must be aware of the high prevalence of psychiatric disorders in this population. They must also be prepared to use mental health professionals to assist them in identifying and stabilizing these patients. Failure to follow a biopsychosocial approach to treatment will likely contribute to prolonged disability in a substantial number of these chronic pain patients.

The pain disability questionnaire: relationship to one-year functional and psychosocial rehabilitation outcomes

OBJECTIVE

The Pain Disability Questionnaire (PDQ) is a new functional assessment instrument designed for evaluating chronic disabling musculoskeletal disorders. It is useful for assessing function/disability as affected by pain. This is the first study to assess the predictive validity of the PDQ in its relationship to 1-year post-treatment work- and health-related outcomes in a chronic disabling occupational musculoskeletal disorder (CDOMD) population.

DESIGN

A prospective cohort of CDOMD patients (n=150) completed a prescribed functional restoration rehabilitation program, with PDQ and other psychosocial measures evaluated before and immediately after treatment. A structured telephonic interview for objective work- and health-related outcomes took place 1-year following treatment.

RESULTS

Lower rates of work retention were associated with more severe pre-treatment PDQ scores. Higher post-treatment PDQ were associated with decreased return-to-work rates, decreased work retention and a greater percentage seeking health care from a new provider. In addition, PDQ scores were also associated with psychosocial measures such as depression and perceived pain intensity, as well as alternative measures of disability.

CONCLUSIONS

Results demonstrated the ability of this simple and psychometrically-sound disability rating scale for systematic functional assessment in predicting treatment outcomes in patients with CDOMD. Results support the further use of the PDQ as a standard treatment outcomes measure in this area of musculoskeletal disorders.

On the diagnosis of malingered pain-related disability: lessons from cognitive malingering research

BACKGROUND CONTEXT

Pain-related disability is a complex phenomenon. Malingering is a potential factor in the management of patients with pain. Methodological problems and inappropriate expectations regarding diagnostic accuracy have hampered the study of malingering detection in pain. In contrast, the study of cognitive malingering in neuropsychology has led to the development of many highly accurate and reliable detection techniques. This paper applies the methods and logic that have been successful for identifying cognitive malingering to the problem of malingering in patients with pain.

PURPOSE

Outline the logic of a research methodology for studying malingering detection in pain and introduce a system for the diagnosis of malingering in pain.

STUDY DESIGN

Literature review and conceptual synthesis.

METHODS

Examination of the research methodology and diagnostic scheme used in the study of cognitive malingering; adaptation of these methods to the problem of malingering in pain.

RESULTS

Lessons derived from the study of cognitive malingering were used to generate recommendations to enhance research into detection and diagnosis of malingered pain-related disability. A comprehensive, multidimensional system for diagnosing malingering in pain-related disability was proposed.

CONCLUSIONS

Pain-related disability is a multifaceted phenomenon, therefore malingering can occur in different and sometimes multiple dimensions. It is presently possible to accurately detect and diagnose malingering in some patients with pain. More work is needed for some detection techniques to be appropriately calibrated in pain populations. This work must focus on controlling the false positive error rate.

A randomized clinical trial of treatment for lumbar segmental rigidity

STUDY DESIGN

A randomized single-blind clinical trial of facet injections plus exercise, versus exercise alone, in chronic disabling work-related lumbar spinal disorders (CDWRLSD), accompanied by pilot interrater reliability and facet syndrome prevalence studies.

OBJECTIVES

To systematically investigate the use of facet injections as an adjunct to supervised lumbar stretching exercises in regaining lumbar range of motion (ROM) following prolonged deconditioning after work-related lumbar injuries. To assess interrater reliability of visual assessment of segmental rigidity (SR), and to evaluate the prevalence of facet syndrome in cases of lumbar SR.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

Corticosteroid joint injections have often been used to reduce musculoskeletal inflammation to facilitate joint mobilization in the presence of degenerative arthritis. Lumbar segmental rigidity is a recently described entity usually associated with painful chronic spinal disorders and postoperative spine surgery. Previous work has shown that SR and lumbar ROM improves with a brief intervention consisting of facet injections followed by specific stretching exercises. No systematic study has investigated the potential benefits of a combination of facet injections and exercise over supervised exercises alone to treat lumbar SR. Similarly, no study has assessed the association between SR and the facet syndrome.

METHODS

From a group of consecutive patients (n = 421) with CDWRLSD referred for tertiary rehabilitation between November 1999 and January 2001, 70 were noted to have SR on intake physical examination. The first part of this study assessed interrater reliability for detecting SR, and intrarater reliability for 3-segment true lumbar ROM measurements. Patients randomly assigned to participate in supervised stretching exercises with the addition of fluoroscopically guided bilateral facet injections at the involved levels (Group A, n = 36) also underwent facet syndrome prevalence assessment at the time of injection. They were compared to a randomly allocated comparison group (Group B, n = 34) undergoing exercises alone in a single-blind design. Physical therapists saw patients an average of twice per week, providing supervision of a progressive home stretching program. Inclinometric joint ROM was measured at the time of group allocation, and again 5 to 7 weeks later. Validated questionnaires of pain (intensity VAS) and disability (Million VAS) related to the CDWRLSD were provided before and after the interventions.

RESULTS

Part 1 reliability and facet syndrome prevalence work revealed that interrater reliability for experienced examiners to detect rigid segments was excellent (Pearson's r = 0.97, P < 0.01). Intrarater 3-joint motion measurement reliability was also good for all sagittal/coronal ROM (Pearson's r = 0.95-0.99, P < 0.01). Only 5 of 29 subjects with SR met criteria for facet syndrome (17%), consistent with prior prevalence studies of unselected patients with low back pain. In Part 2, a large majority of patients in both groups improved from the initial to the post-treatment ROM measurements (the primary outcome criterion of the study). However, a higher proportion of Group A (injection) patients (87%-95%) showed ROM improvement, compared to Group B (exercise only) patients (64%-79%). Group A patients showed a significantly greater ROM improvement in all sagittal and coronal movements, both in absolute terms and percent of initial measurement. No significant differences in pain or disability self-report were found between groups, pre- or postintervention, but both groups showed significant improvement from pre- to postintervention in pain and disability assessments.

CONCLUSIONS

The detection of SR and measurement of 3-segment true lumbar ROM by experienced examiners is highly reliable. Only 17% of CDWRLSD patients with lumbar SR met criteria for the facet syndrome, a rate approximately equal to that of unselected low back pain cohorts. This indicates that lumbar SR may be found whether or not pain of facet joint origin is present. In the randomized trial, facet injections significantly increased the percentage of patients with SR showing ROM improvement, as well as the degree of improvement in lumbar mobility after treatment. There is no evidence that facet injections increase the improvements in pain/disability report noted in both groups.

Impact of neck and arm pain on overall health status

STUDY DESIGN

A prospective, multicenter, cross-sectional analysis of data from the National Spine Network database.

OBJECTIVES

To compare the relative impact of radicular and axial symptoms associated with disease of the cervical spine on general health as measured by the SF-36 Health Survey, and to compare the impact of these symptoms among patients of varying age and symptom duration.

BACKGROUND

Degenerative disorders of the cervical spine can cause debilitating symptoms of neck and arm pain. Physicians generally treat radiculopathy more aggressively than axial neck pain alone, although it has never been shown that the presence of radiculopathy leads to a greater impairment of physical and mental function.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

SF-36 Health Survey data were collected from all consenting patients seen within the National Spine Network. Patients with symptoms referable to the cervical spine (as per their physician) were included (n = 1,809). SF-36 scores for all eight scales (bodily pain (BP), vitality (VT), general health (GH), mental health (MH), physical function (PF), role physical (RP), role emotional (RE), and social function (SF), and two summary scales (Physical Component Summary [PCS] and Mental Component Summary [MCS]) were calculated. Age/gender normative scores were subtracted from the scale scores to produce a negative "impact" score, which reflected how far below normal health status these patients were. Patients were grouped according to location of symptoms (axial only, radicular only, or axial and radicular), age (younger than 40, 40 to 60, and older than 60 years), and symptom duration (acute: <6 wk; subacute: 6 wk-6 mo; and chronic: >6 mo). SF-36 scores were compared between all groups using analysis of variance and multiple comparisons with Bonferroni adjustment.

RESULTS

Patients who presented with both axial and radicular symptoms had the lowest SF-36 scores relative to age and gender norms. These scores were significantly lower than those for patients with only axial or only radicular symptoms across all eight subscales (P < 0.05- P < 0.0001). Scores for patients with only axial pain were significantly lower than for patients with only radicular pain for VT (P < 0.04) and GH (P < 0.004). Patients younger than 40 and those between ages 40 to 60 years were significantly more impacted by their symptoms than patients older than 60 years for all eight scales (P < 0.01). PCS scores were similar for acute, subacute, and chronic groups, whereas MCS scores were significantly worse for patients with chronic pain.

CONCLUSIONS

Combined neck and arm pain were much more disabling than either symptom alone. Younger patients (younger than 40 or 40-60) were more affected by these symptoms than patients older than 60 years. In addition, as symptom duration increased, a negative impact on mental health was observed, although chronic symptoms did not affect physical health. This study suggests that patients with a significant component of axial pain in conjunction with cervical radiculopathy should be considered the most affected of all patients with cervical spondylosis. Given the evidence that the treatment methods at the disposal of physicians are effective, this study suggests that prompt treatment of these patients may help avoid the harmful effects of chronic symptoms on mental functioning, especially among younger patients who were found to be more impacted by the symptoms.

Quantifying the lumbar flexion-relaxation phenomenon: theory, normative data, and clinical applications

STUDY DESIGN

A two-part investigation was conducted: 1) a prospective study of asymptomatic subjects quantitatively comparing trunk mobility to surface electromyographic (sEMG) signals from the erector spinae during trunk flexion; and 2) a prospective repeated-measures cohort study of patients with chronic disabled work-related spinal disorder tested for the flexion-relaxation (FR) phenomenon while measured simultaneously for lumbar spine inclinometric range of motion (ROM).

OBJECTIVES

To describe a theoretical model for the potential use of FR unloaded in assessing patients with chronic low back pain patients before and after rehabilitation, and to establish a normative database (Part 1) for subsequent use in comparison to patients with chronic low back pain (Part 2). The second part of the study assessed the clinical utility of combined sEMG and ROM measurements for assessing the FR phenomenon as a test to assist potentially in planning rehabilitation programs, guiding patients' individual rehabilitation progress, and identifying early posttreatment outcome failures.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

The FR phenomenon has been recognized since 1951, and it can be reproducibly assessed in normal subjects with FR unloaded. It can be found intermittently in patients with chronic low back pain. Recent studies have moved toward deriving formulas to identify FR, but only a few have examined a potential relation between inclinometric lumbar motion measures and the sEMG signal. No previous studies have developed normative data potentially useful for objectively assessing nonoperative treatment progress, effort, or the validity of permanent impairment rating measures.

METHODS

In Part 1, 12 asymptomatic subjects were evaluated in an intra- and interrater repeated-measures protocol to examine reliability of sEMG signal readings in FR, as well as ROM measures at FR and maximum voluntary flexion. The mean sEMG signal averaging right-left electrode recordings, as well as the gross, true, and sacral lumbar ROM measurements, were recorded as normative data. In Part 2, 54 patients with chronic disabled work-related spinal disorder referred as candidates for tertiary functional restoration rehabilitation participated in a standardized assessment protocol for sEMG and ROM measurement before rehabilitation. Those who completed the program were retested with the identical methodology after rehabilitation (n = 34) using the empirically derived cutoff scores for sEMG readings at FR and ROM from Part 1 and prior scientific literature. Pain disability self-reported scores were correlated with sEMG and ROM. Sensitivity and specificity of the sEMG for identifying abnormal motion were assessed.

RESULTS

In Part 1, the ability of the experienced testers to measure ROM and sEMG reliably at FR was high (r >or= 0.92; P < 0.001). All asymptomatic subjects achieved FR at a tightly clustered range of mean sEMG signals from 1 to 2.3 microV. Most of the variation between motion at FR and maximum voluntary flexion occurred through the hip (sacral) motion component of the gross (or total) motion measured at T12. In Part 2, posttreatment reliability for ROM, sEMG, and the ability to detect the FR point was high (r >or= 0.82; P < 0.001). More than 30% of the 54 patients tested before treatment demonstrated ability to achieve FR, with FR usually associated with higher ROM than in the non-FR patients. After treatment, 94% of those who completed the program achieved FR, including all those who achieved FR before treatment. Flexion-relaxation was associated with major improvement in ROM and pain disability self-report.

CONCLUSIONS

Flexion-relaxation measures a point at which true lumbar flexion ROM approaches its maximum in asymptomatic subjects. This also is the point at which lumbar extensor muscle contraction relaxes, allowing the lumbar spine to hang on its posterior ligaments. The gluteal and hamstring muscles then lower the flexed trunk even further by allowing the pelvis to rotate around the hips. This phenomenon was subsequently found in Part 2 to offer a potentially promising method for individualizing rehabilitation treatment, decreasing unnecessary utilization, identifying potential postrehabilitation treatment failures, and assessing permanent impairment rating validity. Moreover, this is the first study to demonstrate systematically that an absence of FR in patients with chronic low back pain can be corrected with treatment.

Cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of low-back pain and related disability with psychological distress among patients enrolled in the UCLA Low-Back Pain Study

The objectives of the study are to test the hypotheses that psychological distress affects subsequent low-back pain, and pain affects subsequent distress. Six hundred eighty-one participants in a randomized clinical trial of low-back pain treatments were followed for 18 months with assessments for pain, disability, and psychological distress at 6 weeks and 6, 12, and 18 months. Multivariable logistic regression modeling with generalized estimating equations was used to estimate effects. Current pain and disability increased the odds of subsequent psychological distress [pain: adjusted odds ratio (OR)=1.36, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.07, 1.72; disability: adjusted OR=1.23, 95% CI=0.98, 1.55], and current distress increased the odds of subsequent pain and disability (pain: adjusted OR=1.51, 95% CI=1.24, 1.86; disability: adjusted OR=1.49; 95% CI=1.20, 1.85). Cross-sectional associations were much stronger than the longitudinal associations, suggesting bias in the former due to selection factors and/or temporal ambiguity. The longitudinal findings suggest that pain/disability and psychological distress may be causes and consequences of each other, although the associations are small.