Somatic and psychosocial determinants of symptom severity and quality of life in male and female patients with chronic pelvic pain syndrome

• Published in: Journal of psychosomatic research 2019-05, Vol.120, p.1-7
• Main Authors: Piontek, Katharina, Ketels, Gesche, Albrecht, Rebecca, Schnurr, Ulrike, Dybowski, Christoph, Brünahl, Christian A., Riegel, Björn, Löwe, Bernd
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Ambulatory Care Facilities; Anxiety; Anxiety-Depression; Catastrophic reactions; Chronic pain; Chronic Pain - complications; Chronic Pain - psychology; Chronic pelvic pain; Chronic pelvic pain syndrome; Depression; Drugs; Female; Females; Generalized anxiety disorder; Humans; Interdisciplinary aspects; Interdisciplinary treatment; Male; Males; Mental depression; Middle Aged; Multiple regression analysis; Pain; Pelvic Pain - complications; Pelvic Pain - psychology; Pelvis; Physiotherapy; Psychosocial factors; Quality of life; Quality of Life - psychology; Questionnaires; Regression Analysis; Severity; Social anxiety; Social interactions; Social support; Surveys and Questionnaires; Symptom severity; Symptoms; Women; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0022-3999; 1879-1360
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2019.02.010

To investigate the combined impact of somatic and psychosocial factors on symptom severity and physical and mental quality of life (QoL) in male and female patients with chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS). We examined 234 patients aged 18 to 84 years attending an interdisciplinary outpatient clinic for patients with CPPS in Hamburg, Germany. Using self-reports, we assessed CPPS symptom severity (NIH-CPSI), with the female counterpart of each male anatomical site used in the questionnaire for women; physical and mental QoL (SF-12) as well as symptoms of depression (PHQ-9) and anxiety (GAD-7); pain catastrophizing cognitions (PCS); social support (F-SozU) and medication intake. The presence of trigger and tender points was assessed in a physiotherapy examination. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was calculated to analyze the contribution of somatic and psychosocial variables on CPPS symptom severity. Analyses were repeated with physical and mental QoL as outcomes. In the overall model, the intake of pain medication (B = 3.78, SE = 1.25, p = .006), the presence of depressive symptoms (B = 0.40, SE = 0.15, p = .01) and pain catastrophizing (B = 0.18, SE = 0.05, p = .001) significantly predicted CPPS symptom severity. Corresponding analyses revealed a differential pattern of factors predicting physical and mental QoL, whereas higher levels of depressive symptoms were consistently associated with diminished mental (B = −0.63; p