Mood Spectrum Disorders and Perception of Pain

Evaluation of pain perception in chronic pain patients with a concomitant mood-spectrum disorder.

The observational retrospective study is based on patient data collected in psychosomatic consultations held at the Gift Institute for Integrative Medicine in Pisa, Italy, from 2002 to 2014. Evoked pain stimulus threshold and tolerance were evaluated using the cold pressor test. Clinical pain intensity and Sensorial, Affective, and Evaluative dimensions were assessed using the Italian Pain Questionnaire, and Anxiety and Depressive symptoms using the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale. Mood-spectrum disorders were diagnosed via the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview, and affective temperament in accordance with Akiskal and Pinto's criteria (1999). Of a total of 627 chronic pain clinic patients, 381 were diagnosed with a concomitant mood-spectrum (MS) disorder, unipolar (US) in 61.41%. Pain threshold (t = 2.28; p < 0.05) was lower, and all clinical pain dimensions (t = 2.28; p < 0.05) increased, in MS patients compared to those without psychiatric disorders. Pain intensity (F = 3.5, p < 0.05) and cognitive pain component scores (F = 7.84; p < 0.0001) were higher in US and, to a lesser extent Bipolar Spectrum, than in subjects with other (n.112) or no psychiatric disorders (n. 134). Suicide ideation was highest in US (F = 37.20; p < 0.0001), although in BS major depressive episodes had more melancholic features (F = 46.73; P < 0.0001), and a longer history of psychiatric disorders before the pain onset than US (F = 20.31; p < 0.0001). Pain management should take into account pre-existing psychiatric disorders.