Association between anxiety, health-related quality of life and functional impairment in primary care patients with chronic pain

Pain severity, interference, and prescription analgesic use among depressed, low-income homebound older adults

OBJECTIVES

Disabled, homebound individuals tend to suffer both chronic pain and depression; however, low-income, homebound older adults have been underexposed in pain and depression research. We examined the extent of pain frequency, intensity, and interference; the relationship between pain and depressive symptoms; and prescription analgesic use and its association with use of antidepressant and anxiolytic medications among these older adults.

METHOD

The data came from the baseline assessment of 215 homebound individuals aged 50+ who were referred to a clinical trial of depression treatment. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to examine the research questions.

RESULTS

Almost 87% (n = 186) of the participants reported having had chronic pain in the preceding three months. Of the pain reporters, the mean frequency, intensity, and interference of pain were 8.65 ± 2.05, 7.71 ± 2.10, and 7.80 ± 2.82, respectively, on a 1-10 scale, and 61% were taking a prescription analgesic. Analgesic users and nonusers did not differ in depressive symptoms and in pain frequency and intensity, but analgesic users reported higher pain interference than nonusers (8.22 ± 2.46 vs. 7.14 ± 3.22; t = 2.44, df = 184, p = .016). Pain frequency and interference were significantly associated with depressive symptoms, and pain interference was significantly associated with analgesic use in multivariate analysis. Anxiolytic medication use was also correlated with analgesic use.

CONCLUSION

The findings underscore the significant pain-related problems in these vulnerable individuals and the need for recognizing and treating both pain and depression more effectively using both pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic interventions.

A qualitative study of pain experiences in patients requiring hip and knee arthroplasty

The aim of this study was to conduct an in-depth investigation of experiences with pain before knee and hip replacement surgery. A total of 20 patients were interviewed, and interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to identify themes. These were as follows: living with pain, pain conceptualised, pain treatments and healthcare system. Pre-surgical pain is very disabling and is viewed as biological. There was an associated loss of independence. Pharmaceutical management is used by all but not entirely effective, psychological therapies are underutilised. Patients were frustrated, angry, and confused about qualifying for surgery. Many areas of care could be improved to help these pre-surgical patients.

Quality of Life in Community-Dwelling Chinese American Patients with Cancer Pain

Although pain can be a powerful influence on health-related quality of life (HRQL) in cancer populations, culturally-based beliefs and behaviors may directly impact HQRL or modify the association between pain and HQRL. Studies of well-defined ethnic groups may clarify these relationships and inform culturally competent clinical practices intended to reduce illness burden. We evaluated HRQL in 121 non-English-speaking Chinese immigrants with cancer pain using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G) scale. Overall, 91.2 % were born in China and 86.0 % were Cantonese-speaking; 50.8 % had no formal education (mean age = 63.2 years; 68.6 % women). Although the mean FACT-G score did not differ from U.S. population norms, most subscale scores for Chinese immigrants were lower and the score for social/family well-being was higher (all p < 0.05). Higher educational level, caregiver presence, lower psychological distress, lower pain intensity and interference, and lower symptom distress were associated with better HRQL (all p < 0.05). These findings confirm the importance of diverse influences on HQRL in ethnic Chinese cancer patients with chronic pain and suggest that this group may be distinguished from the majority population by the extent to which social/family well-being is preserved. Future studies in the growing population of Chinese Americans with cancer are needed to evaluate various aspects of social/family well-being and determine whether they modify the association between pain and HRQL.

Clinical Uses of Intrathecal Therapy and Its Placement in the Pain Care Algorithm

Intrathecal drug delivery is an effective treatment option for patients with severe chronic pain who have not obtained adequate analgesia from more conservative therapies (eg, physical therapy, systemic opioids, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antidepressants, and anticonvulsants). This review focuses on, but is not limited to, the 2 agents currently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for intrathecal analgesia: preservative-free morphine and ziconotide (a nonopioid, selective N-type calcium channel blocker). We describe the appropriate use of intrathecal therapy in the management of severe chronic pain, based on current best practices. Topics addressed here include patient selection, trialing, dosing and titration, adverse event profiles, long-term management, intrathecal therapy for cancer-related pain, and the placement of intrathecal therapy in the pain care algorithm. In appropriately selected patients with chronic pain, intrathecal therapy can provide substantial pain relief with improved functioning and quality of life. Successful long-term management requires ongoing patient monitoring for changes in efficacy and the occurrence of adverse events, with subsequent changes in intrathecal dosing and titration, the addition of adjuvant intrathecal agents, and the use of concomitant oral medications to address side effects, as needed. Based on an infrequent but clinically concerning risk of overdose, granuloma, and other opioid-induced complications, nonopioid therapy with ziconotide may be preferred as a first-line intrathecal therapy in patients without a history of psychosis or allergy.

The Role of Health Locus of Control in Evaluating Depression and Other Comorbidities in Patients with Chronic Pain Conditions, A Cross-Sectional Study

OBJECTIVE

Chronic pain is significantly influenced by behavioral, cognitive, and emotional factors. Few studies have investigated the health locus of control (HLC)-one's belief regarding where control over one's health lies-as it relates to patients with chronic pain. The purpose of this prospective, cross-sectional study was to examine the relationship between depression and health/pain locus of control (HLC) in adult patients with persistent pain.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A series of questionnaires was administered to chronic pain patients, and these questionnaires were scored and analyzed. Patients were categorized into 3 groups based on health locus of control (internal, chance, powerful-others), which were examined with respect to their depression scores using analysis of variance.

RESULTS

A total of 131 patients completed the study: 33% belonged to the internal group, 39% in the chance group, and 28% in the powerful-others group. The 3 groups had depression scores of 40 (SD = 8), 47 (SD = 10), and 42 (SD = 8), respectively. We found significant difference in depressions scores between the chance group and the internal group (P < 0.005) with the chance group having higher depression scores compared to the internal group.

CONCLUSIONS

The study shows that patients with an internal locus of control are less depressed compared to patients with fatalistic views on their health/pain in the chance group. The chance dimension of the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control scale was found to be a potential predictor of psychiatric comorbidities such as depression in the chronic pain patient population.

Treating co-occurring chronic low back pain & generalized anxiety disorder

The complex, bidirectional correlation between chronic low back pain (CLBP) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), common ailments in primary care, can increase the risk of inadequate treatment. This article will review the relationship between CLBP and GAD and provide optimal management strategies for NPs caring for individuals with this dyad.

Improving the care of people with long-term conditions in primary care: protocol for the ENHANCE pilot trial

BACKGROUND

Long-term conditions (LTCs) are important determinants of quality of life and healthcare expenditure worldwide. Whilst multimorbidity is increasingly the norm in primary care, clinical guidelines and the delivery of care remain focused on single diseases, resulting in poorer clinical outcomes. Osteoarthritis, and anxiety and/or depression frequently co-occur with other LTCs, yet are seldom prioritized by the patient or clinician, resulting in higher levels of disability, poorer prognosis, and increased healthcare costs.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the feasibility and acceptability of an integrated approach to LTC management, tackling the under-diagnosis and under-management of osteoarthritis-related pain and anxiety and/or depression in older adults with other LTCs in primary care.

DESIGN

The ENHANCE study is a pilot stepped-wedge cluster randomized controlled trial to test the feasibility and acceptability of a nurse-led ENAHNCE LTC review consultation for identifying, assessing, and managing joint pain, and anxiety and/or depression in patients attending LTC reviews. Specific objectives (process evaluation and research outcomes) will be achieved through a theoretically informed mixed-methods approach using participant self-reported questionnaires, a medical record review, an ENHANCE EMIS template, qualitative interviews, and audio recordings of the ENHANCE LTC review.

DISCUSSION

Success of the pilot trial will be measured against the level of the primary care team engagement, assessment of training delivery, and degree of patient recruitment and retention. Patient satisfaction and treatment fidelity will also be explored. ISRCTN registry number: 12154418.

Chronic Pain and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is often used to treat chronic pain; however, more information is needed about what are the most efficacious dose and delivery methods. The aims of this review were to determine (a) which CBT doses, delivery methods, strategies, and follow-up periods have been explored in recent intervention studies of individuals with chronic pain and (b) whether the outcomes described in the selected studies were consistent with recommendations by the Initiative on Methods, Measurement, and Pain Assessment in Clinical Trials. The CINAHL, EMBASE, PubMed, PsycInfo, and SCOPUS databases were searched for randomized controlled trials published from 2009 to 2015 testing CBT for adults with chronic pain. Thirty-five studies were included in this review. Results revealed that CBT reduced pain intensity in 43% of trials, the efficacy of online and in-person formats were comparable, and military veterans and individuals with cancer-related chronic pain were understudied.

Toxic keratopathy associated with abuse of topical anesthetics and amniotic membrane transplantation for treatment

AIM

To evaluate the clinical findings of toxic keratopathy associated with abuse of topical anesthetics and the treatment efficacy of amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT).

METHODS

Fifteen eyes of 10 patients with abuse of topical anesthetics were included in this study. The data collected included patients' demographic information, initial best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), clinical findings, time to AMT, duration of epithelization, additional treatments, posttreatment BCVA, and the results of psychiatric examination.

RESULTS

All patients were male, with the mean age of 37.9±5.4y. The patients had received 0.5% proparacaine hydrochloride due to pain resulting from foreign bodies, such as welding flash burns and car battery explosions, for a mean of 18.2±12.4d. The mean initial BCVA of the patients was 0.069±0.100. All patients had persistent epithelial defects, stromal infiltration, ring ulcer, and corneal edema. Initially, medical treatment was attempted in all cases. Because of severe pain, persistent epithelial defects and progressing stromal thinning did not improve with medical treatment, thus, the patients underwent AMT. The mean posttreatment BCVA of the patients was 0.33±0.27. All of them, except for two patients, showed improved visual acuity. One patient underwent evisceration for corneal melting and endophthalmitis in another center, and one patient underwent evisceration for severe pain of unknown origin. All 5 patients who consented to a psychiatric examination had depression, had personality disorder, and used tobacco.

CONCLUSION

AMT appears to be an effective method for pain relief, rapid epithelial and stromal healing; however, visual prognosis is still poor despite medical and surgical interventions.

Understanding persons with psychological distress in primary health care

The purpose of this study was to gain more knowledge and a deeper understanding of experiences of persons living with psychological distress who seek help in primary care. Psychological distress is a state of emotional suffering associated with stressors and demands that are difficult to cope with in daily life. The lack of effective care for and difficulty in identifying psychological distress is frustrating for patients and health professionals alike. The aim was therefore to gain more knowledge about the experience of living with psychological distress. Twelve persons (nine women and three men) aged 23-51 years were interviewed. Analyses were based on a phenomenological hermeneutic method and indicated that psychological distress may be seen as an imbalance (incongruence) between the self and the ideal self, which slowly breaks down a person's self-esteem. This imbalance was described in three dimensions: Struggling to cope with everyday life, Feeling inferior to others and Losing one's grip on life. It seems to be associated with a gradual depletion of existential capacities and lead to dissatisfaction, suffering, poor self-esteem and lack of control. As psychological distress may be a forerunner to mental, physical and emotional exhaustion, there is a need to initiate preventive or early interventions to avoid mental, physical and emotional chaos in such patients. Patients' with psychological distress need to be involved in a person-centred salutogenic dialogue with health professionals to become aware of and strengthen their own capacities to regain health and well-being.

A closer look: Alternative pain management practices by heart failure patients with chronic pain

OBJECTIVE

To describe alternative non-pharmaceutical non-nutraceutical pain self-management strategies used by people with heart failure (HF) in order to reduce chronic non-cardiac pain.

BACKGROUND

Little is known about alternative pain self-treatments used by HF patients with chronic pain.

METHODS

A cross-sectional descriptive design was used with 25 hospitalized HF patients who had chronic pain and used at least one alternative pain treatment. Pain intensity, pain interference with function, and current pain treatments were measured with the Brief Pain Inventory.

RESULTS

Alternative treatments included walking, stretching, use of heat and cold. Five patients used evidence-based pain treatments for their chronic pain conditions. Patients reported moderate pain intensity and pain interference with activity.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with HF and chronic pain use few alternative pain treatments. Screening for chronic pain and referral to Integrative Medicine and/or Palliative care for a pain management consult might reduce the added burden of pain in people with HF.

Quality of life, sense of coherence and experiences with three different treatments in patients with psychological distress in primary care: a mixed-methods study

Background

Psychological distress is associated with impaired health-related quality of life (HRQL) and poor sense of coherence (SOC). In a previous study, we found that therapeutic acupuncture (TA) and an integrative treatment that combined TA with person-centred approach in a salutogenic dialogue (IT) alleviated anxiety and depression significantly more than conventional treatment (CT) in primary care patients. Here, we report on secondary analyses regarding the HRQL and SOC from that previous pragmatic randomised controlled trial (RCT).

Method

Quantitative and qualitative design. One hundred twenty patients were referred for psychological distress. Quantitative analyses were performed at baseline and after 8 weeks of treatment using the SF-36 mental component summary (MCS), physical component summary (PCS) and the Sense of Coherence-13 (SOC) questionnaires. Qualitative manifest content analyses were based on open-ended questions—“Have you experienced any changes since the start of the treatment? Will you describe these changes?”

Results

No baseline differences were found. At 8 weeks, both the IT and TA groups had statistically better scores and greater improvement from baseline on the MCS and SOC than the CT group. The effect sizes were large. No significant differences were found between the IT and TA groups or in relation to the PCS. SOC was highly correlated with the MCS but not with the PCS. Dropout rates were low.

The experiences of the intervention resulted in four categories: Being heading back; Status quo; Feeling confirmed; and Feeling abandoned, with 13 related subcategories.

Conclusion

IT and TA seem to improve sense of coherence and mental health status in primary care patients with psychological distress, whereas CT appears to be less beneficial. IT and TA appear to be well-accepted and may serve as useful adjunct treatment modalities to standard primary care. Our results are consistent with much of the previous research in highlighting a strong relationship between SOC and mental health status. The written qualitative data described feeling confirmed and feeling increased self-efficacy, self-care and faith in the future. Those in the CT group, however, described feeling abandoned, missing treatment and experiencing increased emotional and physical problems. More research is needed.

Trial registration

ISRCTN trial number NCT01631500.

Physiotherapy triage assessment of patients referred for orthopaedic consultation - Long-term follow-up of health-related quality of life, pain-related disability and sick leave

INTRODUCTION

The literature indicates that physiotherapy triage assessment can be efficient for patients referred for orthopaedic consultation, however long-term follow up of patient reported outcome measures are not available.

AIM

To report a long-term evaluation of patient-reported health-related quality of life, pain-related disability, and sick leave after a physiotherapy triage assessment of patients referred for orthopaedic consultation compared with standard practice.

METHODS

Patients referred for orthopaedic consultation (n = 208) were randomised to physiotherapy triage assessment or standard practice. The randomised cohort was analysed on an intention-to-treat (ITT) basis. The patient reported outcome measures EuroQol VAS (self-reported health-state), EuroQol 5D-3L (EQ-5D) and Pain Disability Index (PDI) were assessed at baseline and after 3, 6 and 12 months. EQ VAS was analysed using a repeated measure ANOVA. PDI and EQ-5D were analysed using a marginal logistic regression model. Sick leave was analysed for the 12 months following consultation using a Mann-Whitney U-test.

RESULTS

The patients rated a significantly better health-state at 3 after physiotherapy triage assessment [mean difference -5.7 (95% CI -11.1; -0.2); p = 0.04]. There were no other statistically significant differences in perceived health-related quality of life or pain related disability between the groups at any of the follow-ups, or sick leave.

CONCLUSION

This study reports that the long-term follow up of the patient related outcome measures health-related quality of life, pain-related disability and sick leave after physiotherapy triage assessment did not differ from standard practice, indicating the possible benefits of implementation of this model of care.

Six-month effects of integrative treatment, therapeutic acupuncture and conventional treatment in alleviating psychological distress in primary care patients--follow up from an open, pragmatic randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

To evaluate and compare 6-month effects of 8 weeks of an integrative treatment (IT), therapeutic acupuncture (TA), and conventional treatment (CT) in reducing symptoms of anxiety, depression and in improving health-related quality of life (HRQL) and sense of coherence (SOC) in psychologically distressed primary care patients.

METHODS

Patients who had participated in an open, pragmatic randomized controlled trial were followed up six months after treatment. The study sample consisted of 120 adults (40 per treatment arm) aged 20 to 55 years referred from four different primary health care centres in western Sweden for psychological distress. Assessments were made at baseline after eight weeks and after 24 weeks. Anxiety and depression were evaluated with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HADS), HRQL with the SF-36 Mental Component Summary scores (MCS) and SOC with the Sense of Coherence-13 questionnaire.

RESULTS

No baseline differences were found between groups on any outcome variable. At 24 weeks, IT and TA had significantly better values than CT on all variables. All three groups showed significant improvements from baseline on all variables, except HAD depression in CT; however, improvements were significantly greater in IT and TA than in CT. IT and TA did not differ on any outcome variable. Effect sizes were large in IT and TA for all variables and small or moderate in CT. Improvements on all variables seen after 8-weeks of IT and TA remained stable at 24 weeks and the CT group improved on HAD anxiety.

CONCLUSIONS

IT and TA seem to be more beneficial than CT in reducing anxiety, depression, and in improving quality of life and sense of coherence after 24 weeks of follow up in patients with psychological distress. More research is needed to confirm these results.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ISRCTN trial number NCT01631500.

Persistent nociception induces anxiety-like behavior in rodents: role of endogenous neuropeptide S

Anxiety disorder is a comorbid condition of chronic pain. Analgesics and anxiolytics, subject to addiction and abuse, are currently used to manage pain and anxiety symptoms. However, the cellular mechanism underlying chronic pain and anxiety interaction remains to be elucidated. We report that persistent nociception following peripheral nerve injury induced anxiety-like behavior in rodents. Brain expression and release of neuropeptide S (NPS), a proposed endogenous anxiolytic peptide, was diminished in rodents with coexisting nociceptive and anxiety-like behaviors. Intracerebroventricular administration of exogenous NPS concurrently improved both nociceptive and anxiety-like behaviors. At the cellular level, NPS enhanced intra-amygdaloidal inhibitory transmission by increasing presynaptic gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) release from interneurons. These findings indicate that the interaction between nociceptive and anxiety-like behaviors in rodents may be regulated by the altered NPS-mediated intra-amygdaloidal GABAergic inhibition. The data suggest that enhancing the brain NPS function may be a new strategy to manage comorbid pain and anxiety.

Assessment and management of chronic pain in patients with depression and anxiety

This article will review the role of the pharmacist in the management of chronic pain in patients with comorbid mood disorders.