Psychological screening for non-specific abdominal pain

Abstract

Abstract Non-specific abdominal pain (NSAP) may have a detectable psychological component that could be used to predict outcome. To test this hypothesis, 131 patients aged 14–40 years admitted with acute abdominal pain were assessed using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) scale, and a structured interview. Of 61 patients with NSAP, more had a psychosocial problem identified by the admitting registrar (P < 0.01) and marginally more had high questionnaire scores. The risk of having NSAP was high if an abnormality on interview accompanied high questionnaire scores (relative risk 1.93 (95 per cent confidence interval (c.i.) 1.35–2.77)) or if prodromal pain had lasted > 7 days (relative risk 2.13 (95 per cent c.i. 1.55–2.92)). After 2 years, patients with continuing pain had higher HAD and Spielberger Anxiety Trait scores (both P < 0.02); NSAP was associated with persisting pain (relative risk 2.22 (95 per cent c.i. 1.10–4.48)). Psychosocial factors are implicated in NSAP and in chronic pain, but the sensitivity and specificity of questionnaire assessment are too low to be useful in diagnosis.