(854): Catastrophizing and psychological distress predict widespread multimodal pain sensitivity and temporal summation in young healthy females

Abstract

Catastrophizing, pain anxiety, and psychological distress have been associated with increased reports of pain and disability within chronic pain populations; however, less information is know regarding the potential predictors of widespread and multimodal pain sensitivity in non-pain populations. The purpose of this study was to explore psychological factors that predict widespread muscle tenderness, pressure and thermal pain sensitivity, and temporal summation in young females. One hundred and fifty-two healthy young adult females (mean age=19.10) were assessed on pericranial muscle tenderness (PMT), extra-cephalic muscle tenderness (Manual Tender Point Survey; MTPS), pressure pain thresholds, and heat pain thresholds and tolerance, and temporal summation. Subjects were also assessed on reported ongoing pain complaints (McGill Pain Questionnaire; MPQ), psychological symptoms (Mood and Anxiety Symptoms Questionnaire; MASQ), pain catastrophizing (Pain Catastrophizing Scale; PCS), and pain anxiety (Pain Anxiety Symptoms Scale; PASS). Hierarchical stepwise regression analyses indicate catastrophizing is independently associated with increased pericranial and extra-cephalic muscle tenderness (PMT; MTPS), decreased cephalic and extra-cephalic pressure pain thresholds, decreased cephalic and extra-cephalic heat pain thresholds and tolerance, and temporal summation after controlling for reported ongoing pain (MPQ). Psychological distress is also independently associated with increased extra-cephalic muscle tenderness (MTPS), decreased cephalic and extra-cephalic heat-pain thresholds, and temporal summation after controlling for reported ongoing pain (MPQ). Thus, both pain catastrophizing and psychological distress are independent predictors of widespread multimodal pain sensitivity and temporal summation in young females even after controlling for reports of ongoing pain complaints. Pain catastrophizing and psychological distress may be particularly important in understanding the psychological processes associated abnormal pain processing and may serve as risk factors for the development of pain sensitivity and chronic pain disorders. Catastrophizing, pain anxiety, and psychological distress have been associated with increased reports of pain and disability within chronic pain populations; however, less information is know regarding the potential predictors of widespread and multimodal pain sensitivity in non-pain populations. The purpose of this study was to explore psychological factors that predict widespread muscle tenderness, pressure and thermal pain sensitivity, and temporal summation in young females. One hundred and fifty-two healthy young adult females (mean age=19.10) were assessed on pericranial muscle tenderness (PMT), extra-cephalic muscle tenderness (Manual Tender Point Survey; MTPS), pressure pain thresholds, and heat pain thresholds and tolerance, and temporal summation. Subjects were also assessed on reported ongoing pain complaints (McGill Pain Questionnaire; MPQ), psychological symptoms (Mood and Anxiety Symptoms Questionnaire; MASQ), pain catastrophizing (Pain Catastrophizing Scale; PCS), and pain anxiety (Pain Anxiety Symptoms Scale; PASS). Hierarchical stepwise regression analyses indicate catastrophizing is independently associated with increased pericranial and extra-cephalic muscle tenderness (PMT; MTPS), decreased cephalic and extra-cephalic pressure pain thresholds, decreased cephalic and extra-cephalic heat pain thresholds and tolerance, and temporal summation after controlling for reported ongoing pain (MPQ). Psychological distress is also independently associated with increased extra-cephalic muscle tenderness (MTPS), decreased cephalic and extra-cephalic heat-pain thresholds, and temporal summation after controlling for reported ongoing pain (MPQ). Thus, both pain catastrophizing and psychological distress are independent predictors of widespread multimodal pain sensitivity and temporal summation in young females even after controlling for reports of ongoing pain complaints. Pain catastrophizing and psychological distress may be particularly important in understanding the psychological processes associated abnormal pain processing and may serve as risk factors for the development of pain sensitivity and chronic pain disorders.