The role of psychiatric factors in patients with chronic low back pain

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between psychiatric factors and disability and pain intensity in chronic low backpain. Self-report of disability and pain intensity were assessed using Modifiye Oswestry Disability Questionnaire (ODQ) and Visual Analogue Scala (VAS). Psychiatric factors were assessed by Symptom Check List 90 items-Revised (SCL90-R). Anxiety was assessed using the Zung Self-rating Anxiety Scale. Forty-eight patients who had suffered from low back pain (LBP) for a period of at least three months entered this study. The mean age was 38.06 ± 10.4 years for the women, and 34.73 ±1 5.9 years for the men. The mean duration of the symptoms was 41.77 ± 40.15 months. Although there was not a correlation between pain and disability, the pain score was significantly lower in mild disabled group than moderate and severe disabled groups(p<0.01, p<0.01 respect-ively). Zung Anxiety Scale and all the mean subgroup scales of SCL90-R were statistically significant higher in patients with LBP than control group. There were no significant differences between males and females in age, SCL90-R score, anxiety or pain scores. Our results suggest that psychiatnc factors and anxiety are the most important determinant of self-reported disability in patients with chronic low back pain.