Evolution of patients with chronic pain undergoing standard treatment: a prospective longitudinal follow-up study

Abstract

Introduction

Chronic pain greatly affects quality of life and, consequently, impacts the psychological state, a condition that needs to be addressed. A 30% reduction in pain intensity is clinically significant. The objective of this study was to describe the clinical and psychological aspects of individuals with chronic pain undergoing standard treatment.

Methods

Descriptive longitudinal study involving individuals with chronic pain undergoing treatment at the Pain Outpatient Clinic of the Federal University of Bahia, in Salvador, Bahia, between June 2016 and December 2017. The variables studied were pain intensity, quality of life, sleep disorders, stress level, and the presence of anxiety and depression symptoms. Descriptive statistics were performed, and Student's t-test, and Fisher's Chi-Square test were used to compare the groups.

Results

We studied 134 individuals with a mean (standard deviation) age of 50 (10) years, 89.6% of whom were female. There was an improvement in quality of life and sleep, anxiety and depressive symptoms, and 58.2% of patients showed a 30% reduction in pain intensity. Among the factors associated with pain reduction, having a partner was a significant factor (73.7% vs. 52.1%; p = 0.030). However, symptoms of anxiety (81.6% vs. 75.0%; p = 0.436), symptoms of depression (63.2% vs. 58.3%; p = 0.718), and stress (92.1% vs. 87.5%; p = 0.846) were not associated with pain reduction.

Conclusion

This study suggests that multidisciplinary treatment can reduce pain intensity in chronically affected patients, as most patients exhibited a clinically significant response, accompanied by global improvement.