Predictive Factors of Reducing Disability in Multidisciplinary Treatment of Chronic Pain

Multidisciplinary treatments of chronic pain are found to be effective on reducing disability. However, the effect of this type of treatment is not positive in all patients and interpersonal differences play a significant role in responding to these treatments. We aimed to investigate the predictive factors for reduction in disability after multidisciplinary treatment of patients with chronic pain. Two hundred and forty nine patients with chronic pain were followed up for three months after a 2-week multidisciplinary treatment program in Kassel Pain Center Germany. At baseline and three months later, validated tools were used to assess demographic and pain-related variables such as pain intensity. Also, the scales for disability, depression, catastrophizing, and pain acceptance were completed by the patients. Greater reduction in disability was predicted by baseline pain acceptance and its improvement from pretreatment to the 3-month follow up after controlling the baseline pain intensity, disability, and change in pain intensity from pretreatment to the follow up. This model achieved a variance explanation of 76%. The data lend support to the importance of pain-related thoughts and emotions in long-term outcome following multidisciplinary pain treatment. Lower levels of pain acceptance can lead to problems in patients with chronic pain, so psychological interventions alongside other treatments may lead to a greater reduction of disability in these patients.