The Moderator Role of Pain Duration in Relation between Pain Catastrophizing and Pain Intensity

Abstract

Background and Purpose: Pain catastrophizing is one of the most important factors contributing to pain experience and duration of action. This study aimed to explore the moderator role of pain duration in the hypothetical relation between pain catastrophizing and pain intensity in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMSP). Methods: Seven hundred and eight patients with CMSP (mean age: 28.52 ± 7.75 years) participated in this cross-sectional and descriptive study. The pain intensity and catastrophizing of the patients was assessed with the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), respectively. The time elapsed since the participants' first experience of pain (number of days) was recorded as pain duration. Results: There was a positive correlation between pain duration (r=0.181, p0.001), pain intensity (r=0.432, p0.001) and total score of pain catastrophizing. According to univariate and multivariate regression analysis, pain duration adjusting for pain catastrophizing maintained its predictor effect on pain intensity (p0.001). According to hierarchical model, the effect of pain catastrophizing on pain intensity was 44.7%, its effect increases to 48.5% adding pain duration. Conclusion: The results of this study supports that pain duration has no critical effect on the relation between pain catastrophization to pain intensity in patients with CMSP.