Treatment Modalities for Chronic Pain in Elderly Patients With Depression: A Systematic Review

To review the best pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic interventions in the management of chronic pain in elderly patients with depression.

A systematic review of the literature was performed following the PRISMA guidelines and using PubMed. Articles published from 2010 to 2020 were included in the search. Search terms included (major depressive disorder OR MDD OR unipolar depression) AND (chronic pain) AND (elderly).

The PubMed search identified 540 articles. All studies were in English and included reports about pain and depression in elderly individuals aged ≥ 65 years.

Articles were reviewed in 2 phases: abstract review followed by full-text review.

Abstracts were reviewed for relevance, and a total of 37 articles were identified for full-text review. In this phase, articles not meeting the elderly age criteria (≥ 65 years) or not discussing any treatment modalities were excluded. Nine papers were included after full-text review. The results showed co-occurrence of chronic pain and depression in 13% of the elderly population. Common pain symptoms were related to cancer, back pain, and arthritis.

The findings emphasize the importance of individualized assessment of chronic pain in elderly patients with mood disorders such as depression. Since chronic pain and depression are independent risk factors for suicide, it is crucial to complete a thorough history and physical examination and to apply relevant screening tools for both depression and pain.