Psychopathological and Personality Pro file in Chronic Nononcologic Nociceptive and Neuropathic pain: Cross-sectional Comparative Study

INTRODUCTION: Adaptation to chronic non-oncologic pain is associated with the development of psychopathology and personality disorders, creating severity, chronicity, poorer treatment response, and exacerbations in patients with neuropathy. OBJECTIVE: To identify the psychopathological and personality profiles of patients with chronic nociceptive and neuropathic pain and their association with pain progression and intensity. METHOD: A cross-sectional, descriptive and comparative study was conducted in the Pain Treatment Unit of Hospital Universitari Sagrat Cor, with systematic randomized recruitment for 25 months; 115 patients were evaluated using the Hamilton Depression and Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-D, HAM-A) and the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-III (MCMI-III). RESULTS: The neuropathic group achieved significantly higher scores for pain intensity and depressive and anxiety symptoms. With greater magnitude and frequency, the neuropathic group related pain intensity and progression with depressive/anxiety symptoms, clinical syndromes, and personality patterns. Both groups revealed tendencies towards a compulsive personality pattern, followed by narcissistic, histrionic, and schizoid patterns. CONCLUSIONS: When treating chronic pain, the presence of various psychopathological indicators requires an individualized strategy.