Relationship between chronic pain syndrome and anxiety disorders in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

INTRODUCTION: Chronic pain syndrome is still one of the leading complaints of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). OBJECTIVES: Study the relationship between chronic pain syndrome of different duration and the level of anxiety disorders. METHODS: Clinical and psychophysiological examination of 76 patients with RA was carried out, the average age was 42.4 ± 7.2 years. The severity of pain syndrome was determined on the VAS scale, the level of anxiety by the Spielberger-Hanin technique RESULTS: Analysis of pain syndrome according to YOUR revealed higher rates (p < 0, () 1) in patients with shorter periods of disease: up to 12 months and more than 12 months: 66.0 ± 1.5 mm and 61.9 ± 1.5 mm, respectively, than in patients with a longer period of war - more than 3 years (53.7 ± 1.0 mm). Psychophysiological examination of RA patients revealed anxiety spectrum disorders in 53 (69.7%) patients. The severity of anxiety disorders was different depending on the duration of the chronic pain syndrome: the highest indicators of reactive anxiety were detected in patients with a length of pain syndrome of up to 12 months: 45.7 ± 0.6 points, in patients with a disease period of more than 12 months - 42.4 ± 0.5 points, and in patients with a disease period of more than 3 years 37.6 + 0.5 points. CONCLUSIONS: Thus, a direct correlation between the degree of pain severity and the level of anxiety disorders is revealed, which is desirable to consider when selecting pathogenetic therapy DISCLOSURE: No significant relationships.