Analysis of the current status and influencing factors of pain catastrophizing in patients with postherpetic neuralgia

Zhang Wenwen; Zhang Xiwei; He Mingwei; Sun Haiyan; Pang Jinlei

doi:10.3760/j.issn.1673-4777.2024.02.014

Abstract：Objective To investigate the current status of pain catastrophizing(PC)and its influencing factors in patients with postherpetic neuralgia(PHN).Methods PHN patients admitted to Beijing Anzhen Hospital,Capital Medical University from March 2019 to March 2022 were selected as the study subjects.General information of the PHN patients,Pain Catastrophizing Scale(PCS)scores,treatment measures during hospitalization,Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale(GAD-7)scores,and Patient Health Questionnaire-9(PHQ-9)scores were collected through a questionnaire survey.Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to explore the main factors influencing PCS scores.Results A total of 303 PHN patients were included in the survey.The average PCS score was(30±10),and 65 patients had PCS scores ≥38,accounting for 21.5％.PHQ-9 scores ≥5 were observed in 164 patients(54.1％),and GAD-7 scores ≥5 were observed in 176 patients(58.1％).Univariate analysis showed that patients aged≥ 60 years,those who did not receive paravertebral nerve block treatment,pain medication treatment,and those with GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scores≥5 had higher PCS scores(all P＜0.05).Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that paravertebral nerve block treatment,pain medication treatment,PHQ-9 scores,and GAD-7 scores were independent influencing factors of PCS scores in PHN patients(all P＜0.05).Conclusions The prevalence of PC is high in PHN patients,with more than half of the patients experiencing varying degrees of anxiety and depression.Furthermore,paravertebral nerve block treatment may be an effective method for alleviating pain catastrophizing.The severity of depression and anxiety should also be given attention,as they may be closely related to the occurrence and severity of pain catastrophizing.