Multidisciplinary Intervention in Patients with Musculoskeletal Pain: a Randomized Clinical Trial

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Pain Management
• Health Psychology

Background:

• Musculoskeletal pain significantly impacts quality of life, leading to disability and increased healthcare utilization.
• Current scientific evidence on effective treatments for musculoskeletal pain remains inconclusive.
• Comorbidity is a common issue in patients experiencing musculoskeletal pain.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare a multidisciplinary intervention (MI) with a brief intervention (BI) for patients with musculoskeletal pain.
• To evaluate the effects of MI, including the novel Interdisciplinary Structured Interview with a Visual Educational Tool (ISIVET), on mental and physical symptoms.
• To assess the impact of MI versus BI on functioning ability, healthcare service use, and coping strategies.

Main Methods:

• Randomized controlled trial involving 284 adults (aged 18-60) with musculoskeletal pain.
• Participants were assigned to either a multidisciplinary intervention (MI) or a brief intervention (BI).
• Data collection included medical examinations and comprehensive questionnaires at baseline, 3 months, and 12 months.

Main Results:

• Both groups showed symptom and functioning improvements, but the MI group improved more rapidly.
• The MI group demonstrated significant improvements in anxiety, depression, and somatization at 3 months.
• The MI group reported less healthcare utilization and enhanced self-rated coping and health management at 12 months.

Conclusions:

• The multidisciplinary intervention (MI) shows promise as a valuable addition to treating musculoskeletal pain.
• MI may lead to better patient outcomes, including improved mental health and functioning.
• The findings suggest MI can reduce healthcare service use and empower patients in self-management.