Methods and Instruments to Evaluate Cognitive Function in Chronic Pain Patients: A Systematic Review.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Pain Management
• Cognitive Psychology

Background:

• Cognitive dysfunction is a common complaint among patients with chronic pain (CP).
• Accurate assessment of cognitive function is crucial for understanding the impact of CP and guiding treatment.
• Existing methods for evaluating cognitive function in CP populations have not been systematically reviewed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the methods and instruments employed for assessing cognitive function in individuals with chronic pain.
• To identify the range of instruments used and their specific applications in CP research.
• To evaluate the validation status of these instruments within the context of chronic pain populations.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was conducted across five databases.
• Cross-sectional studies involving adults with chronic non-cancer pain were selected.
• Studies were included if cognitive function was assessed using validated instruments; data on subjects, controls, and instruments were extracted.

Main Results:

• A total of 42 articles utilized 53 different instruments to assess cognitive function in CP patients.
• Fibromyalgia was the most frequently studied condition (75%), with most studies (61.9%) excluding patients with prior cognitive impairment.
• While 73.8% used neuropsychological instruments (primarily for attention and memory), none were specifically validated for pain populations, and only 5 studies analyzed psychometric properties.

Conclusions:

• A wide array of instruments are used to evaluate cognitive function in chronic pain patients, particularly those with fibromyalgia.
• Current instruments, though validated, require specific adaptation and validation for use in chronic pain populations.
• Recommendations are proposed to enhance the evaluation of cognitive function in individuals experiencing chronic pain.