The short-term effect of COVID-19 pandemic on disability, pain intensity, psychological status, and exercise habits in patients with chronic pain

PURPOSE: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected the lives of people worldwide. The first declaration of a state of emergency in Japan, based on the Act on Special Measures for the Prevention and Control of the Novel Coronavirus, was issued from 16 April 2020 to 14 May 2020 to reduce person-to-person contact. Restrictions on going out, participating in community activities, and visiting hospitals were in place. This study investigates the short-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients with chronic pain. METHODS: This study included outpatients with chronic pain undergoing treatment at the Pain Center of Nara Medical University Hospital. The patients had completed questionnaires for a disability during the study period, from 1 July to 30 September 2019 (baseline), 1 October to 31 December 2019 (pre-pandemic), and 1 July to 30 September 2020 (during the pandemic). The questionnaire covered changes in disability, pain intensity, health-related quality of life (QOL), anxiety, depression, catastrophic thinking, and the presence/absence of exercise habits at baseline, pre-pandemic, and during the pandemic. RESULTS: Of the 245 eligible patients, there was no significant disability difference between baseline, pre-pandemic, and during the pandemic (p = 0.14). Similarly, pain intensity, health-related QOL, anxiety, depression, and the presence/absence of exercise habits did not significantly differ between baseline, pre-pandemic, and during the pandemic either. The current study observed significant differences in terms of catastrophic thinking (p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients with chronic pain were not apparent in the short-term. Clinical trail registration: UMIN000043174