ABSTRACT
Objectives This study aims to investigate the effects of pain-related cognitive processes (PRCPs) and emotional state on pain-related disability (PRD) and pain interference (difficulty in performing daily routines, difficulty in engaging in social activities [the enjoyment of life], and the impact on work and/or school performance) in patients with primary headaches (PHs). Methodology PRCPs were evaluated with the Pain Anxiety Symptom Scale-20 (PASS-20), Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), and Pain Belief Questionnaire (PBQ). Anxiety, depression, and alexithymia were investigated to assess the emotional state. PRD was assessed by Headache Impact Test-6 (HIT-6). Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was evaluated under three headings: daily activities (with Short Form-36 [SF-36] Question [Q] 22), social activities (with Graded Chronic Pain Scale-Revised [GCPS-R] Q 4), as well as the working ability (with GCPS-R Q 5). Two separate models were constructed to identify the factors influencing PRD and HRQoL in PHP: M1 to reveal the factors affecting PRD and M2 to determine the independent factors affecting pain interference. In both models, correlation analysis was applied first and the significant data were then evaluated with regression analysis. Results A total of 364 participants (74 healthy controls [HCs] and 290 PHPs) completed the study. In M1, the following domains were significantly associated with PRD: cognitive anxiety (ß = 0.098; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.001-0.405; P = 0.049); helplessness (ß = 0.107; 95% CI = 0.018-0.356; P = 0.031); alexithymia (ß = 0.077; 95% CI = 0.005-0.116; P = 0.033); depression (ß = 0.083; 95% CI = 0.014-0.011; P = 0.025). In M2, factors associated with impairment in daily activities for PHP were as follows: duration of pain, pain intensity, alexithymia, escape-avoidance response, psychological anxiety, anxiety, and poor sleep quality (R = 0.770; R2 = 0.588). The independent factors affecting social activities for PHP were pain intensity and pain-related anxiety (R = 0.90; R2 = 0.81). Independent risk factors that affected the ability to work for PHP were pain intensity, cognitive anxiety, escape-avoidance response, and pain anxiety (R = 0.90; R2 = 0.81). Conclusions This study highlights the importance of cognitive and emotional processes that help increase our understanding of the patient with PHs. This understanding may help to reduce disability and improve the quality of life in this population by helping to guide multidisciplinary treatment goals.
ABSTRACT
Predicting treatment failure and switching effective treatment immediately in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) is important. We aimed to evaluate the usefulness of Modified Rio score (MRS) in predicting treatment failure in MS patients. This is a retrospective study, which was conducted in two University Hospital. 129 MS patients treated with Interferon or glatiramer-acetate from 2 clinical sites, were retrospectively selected. MRS was calculated after the first year of therapy. Treatment failure was defined as the presence of a 1 point increase in EDSS, 2 clinical attacks, 1 clinical attack and progression, 1 clinical attack and new lesion on MRI except associated with an attack, or new lesion in 2 different MRI taken at least 3 months apart. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of the MRS in predicting treatment failure were determined. 71 (55%) patients with score '0', 41 (31.8%) patients with score '1', 11 (8.5%) patients with score '2', 6 (4.7%) patients with score '3' were detected. 14 patients needed treatment switching during the first three years of the treatment. Sensitivity was 57%, specificity was 92%, positive predictive value was 95%, negative predictive value was 47% and accuracy was 89%. Modified Rio score (MRS) was found to be effective in determining the treatment failure as mentioned before. This study will be useful for clinicians who evaluate the treatment failure like us, and this study revealed that the MRS may also help predict treatment failure.