TY - JOUR
T1 - Pain catastrophizing in the elderly
T2 - An experimental pain study
AU - Petrini, Laura
AU - Arendt-Nielsen, Lars
N1 - © 2024 the author(s), published by De Gruyter.
PY - 2024/1/1
Y1 - 2024/1/1
N2 - OBJECTIVES: Pain catastrophizing in the aging population has not been studied in great detail. Existing investigations have reported conflicting results on the effects of age on pain catastrophizing in relation to pain responses. This study investigated the relationship between pain catastrophizing, and its individual components (rumination, magnification, and helplessness), and the responses to standardized experimental pain stimuli in old and young, healthy adults.METHODS: Sixty-six volunteers (32 old: 65-87, 18 females; 34 young: 20-35, 17 females) participated in the study. Pain catastrophizing including the components of rumination, magnification, and helplessness was assessed with the pain catastrophizing scale (PCS). Experimental pain was induced by applying predefined pressure stimulations to the trapezius muscle. Pain intensity and unpleasantness were assessed using numerical rating scales. Pain catastrophizing levels and pain responses were statistically compared between the two age groups.RESULTS: Elderly individuals reported significantly (p = 0.028) lower scores of pain catastrophizing (Med = 5; interquartile range [IQR] = 14) than younger individuals; this difference was driven by the significantly lower components of rumination (Med = 2; IQR = 4; p = 0.017) and helplessness (Med = 2; IQR = 7; p = 0.049). A larger proportion of young (57.8%) rated pain catastrophizing at high levels, with scores above the 75th percentile (Med = 20). Additionally, elderly reported the lowest pain intensity (Med = 5; p = 0.034) and pain unpleasantness (Med = 4.5; p = 0.011) responses to the experimental pressure stimuli. In the elderly group, pain unpleasantness was positively and significantly associated with pain catastrophizing (r s = 0.416, p = 0.021), rumination (r s = 0.42, p = 0.019), and helplessness (r s = 0.434, p = 0.015), respectively. No associations were found in the young group.CONCLUSIONS: Elderly reported lower PCSs than young adults. Rumination and helplessness were reduced in the elderly group. The elderly population showed positive correlations between catastrophizing levels and pain unpleasantness to standardized pressure pain stimuli. Results supported the view that elderly possess resilience over specific domains of pain catastrophizing that could counteract pain perception due to physiological decline.
AB - OBJECTIVES: Pain catastrophizing in the aging population has not been studied in great detail. Existing investigations have reported conflicting results on the effects of age on pain catastrophizing in relation to pain responses. This study investigated the relationship between pain catastrophizing, and its individual components (rumination, magnification, and helplessness), and the responses to standardized experimental pain stimuli in old and young, healthy adults.METHODS: Sixty-six volunteers (32 old: 65-87, 18 females; 34 young: 20-35, 17 females) participated in the study. Pain catastrophizing including the components of rumination, magnification, and helplessness was assessed with the pain catastrophizing scale (PCS). Experimental pain was induced by applying predefined pressure stimulations to the trapezius muscle. Pain intensity and unpleasantness were assessed using numerical rating scales. Pain catastrophizing levels and pain responses were statistically compared between the two age groups.RESULTS: Elderly individuals reported significantly (p = 0.028) lower scores of pain catastrophizing (Med = 5; interquartile range [IQR] = 14) than younger individuals; this difference was driven by the significantly lower components of rumination (Med = 2; IQR = 4; p = 0.017) and helplessness (Med = 2; IQR = 7; p = 0.049). A larger proportion of young (57.8%) rated pain catastrophizing at high levels, with scores above the 75th percentile (Med = 20). Additionally, elderly reported the lowest pain intensity (Med = 5; p = 0.034) and pain unpleasantness (Med = 4.5; p = 0.011) responses to the experimental pressure stimuli. In the elderly group, pain unpleasantness was positively and significantly associated with pain catastrophizing (r s = 0.416, p = 0.021), rumination (r s = 0.42, p = 0.019), and helplessness (r s = 0.434, p = 0.015), respectively. No associations were found in the young group.CONCLUSIONS: Elderly reported lower PCSs than young adults. Rumination and helplessness were reduced in the elderly group. The elderly population showed positive correlations between catastrophizing levels and pain unpleasantness to standardized pressure pain stimuli. Results supported the view that elderly possess resilience over specific domains of pain catastrophizing that could counteract pain perception due to physiological decline.
KW - pain catastrophizing
KW - experimental pain
KW - elderly
KW - age
KW - pain responses
KW - cognitive functioning
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85187141767&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1515/sjpain-2023-0035
DO - 10.1515/sjpain-2023-0035
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 38452201
SN - 1877-8860
VL - 24
JO - Scandinavian Journal of Pain
JF - Scandinavian Journal of Pain
IS - 1
M1 - 20230035
ER -