Abstract

CASTRO, A. et al. Sleep and depressive disorder in patients with chronic pain. Rev. Soc. Esp. Dolor [online]. 2014, vol.21, n.6, pp.299-306. ISSN 1134-8046.  https://dx.doi.org/10.4321/S1134-80462014000600002.

Introduction: Sleep disturbances and affective disorders (major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder) are two comorbidities very frequents in patients with chronic pain. Objective: The main objective is to evaluate sleep quality and the prevalence of major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder in patients with musculoskeletal chronic pain. As secondary objectives: To compare sleep quality and pain severity with different variables and to know the sleep quality predictors. Material and methods: Transversal descriptive study was made in the Pain Unit from Son Llàtzer Hospital (Palma de Mallorca, Spain). A total of 39 patients were included, all of them older than 18 years old and with musculoskeletal chronic pain. Inclusion was during March, April and May 2013. Excluded were patients younger than 18 years old, those who refuse to participate in the study or/and those who diagnosed with severe psychiatric disorder (dementia, psychosis, alcohol/drug abuse). Pain severity was assessed by a visual analogue scale, major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder was assessed by the International Neuropsychiatric Interview, sleep quality was assessed by the Pittsburgh Questionnaire and depressive symptomatology was assessed by the Montgomery-Asberg Questionnaire. Results: Chronic pain patients related poor sleep quality. 69.2 % of patients had major depressive disorder and/or 65.5% had a generalized anxiety disorder. There are not statistical differences in quality of sleep between pharmacological groups (potens opioids vs. minor/antiinflamatories). There are statistical differences in some Pittsburgh Questionnaire items: subjective sleep quality, regular efficiency, dreams perturbances, daily dysfunction and total score, as well as, in pain severity: patients with depression had higher scores than patients without depression. The significant predictors of sleep quality were age and depression severity. Conclusions: These results are in accordance with other studies that show that chronic pain patients suffer poor sleep quality, depression and anxiety. Future researchers are necessary to evaluate these variables, to know the importance of these factors that play a role in this medical condition and to improve clinical management and quality of life of these patients.

Keywords : Sleep quality; Depression; Anxiety; Chronic pain.

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