Incidence of Anxiety and Depression in Adult Patients with Chronic Discogenic Back Pain.

Background: To analyze the results of domestic and foreign studies of the comorbidity of anxiety-depressive disorders and discogenic back pain in adult patients.

Subjects and methods: An analysis of Russian-language and foreign literature was carried out with a search depth of 5 years (2019-2024) in the following databases: PubMed, Springer, Wiley Online Library, Taylor & Francis Online, US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, ScienceDirect and e-Library.

Results: Numerous studies have shown that depression and anxiety influence treatment outcomes in intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD). Ineffective pharmacotherapy and inappropriate surgical interventions for depression and anxiety may significantly negatively affect the outcomes reported by patients with IVDD and chronic discogenic back pain. In addition, depression and anxiety have been reported to be risk factors for complications, chronic pain, and readmission after spinal surgery. Symptoms associated with mental stress, including depression and anxiety, were shown to be associated with changes in skeletal muscle tension symmetry in patients with IVDD, indicating that mental state is associated with muscle function. Therefore, it is useful for neurologists and neurosurgeons to identify anxiety and depressive disorders in patients with IVDD in order to promptly prescribe appropriate therapy for them.

Conclusion: Timely diagnosis of anxiety and depressive disorders and anxiety in patients with IVDD and chronic discogenic back pain requires an interdisciplinary approach with the participation of psychiatrists, neurologists and clinical pharmacologists, which is important for improving positive treatment outcomes and improving the quality of life of patients.