• Neuromodulation · Jan 2021

    Correlation Between Aspects of Perceived Patient Loneliness and Spinal Cord Stimulation Outcomes.

    • Olga Khazen, Gavril Rosoklija, Amanda Custozzo, Michael Gillogly, Cheyanne Bridger, Ellie Hobson, Paul Feustel, Laura Lambiase, Marisa DiMarzio, and Julie G Pilitsis.
    • Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY, USA.
    • Neuromodulation. 2021 Jan 1; 24 (1): 150-155.

    ObjectivesLoneliness as a whole has been characterized as a health-related risk factor and is associated with worse outcomes after cardiac procedures. Evidence suggests that chronic pain patients are particularly vulnerable to feeling lonely. We examined the relationship between different aspects of loneliness and one-year postoperative outcomes after spinal cord stimulation (SCS) for chronic pain.Materials And MethodsWe contacted 69 patients with thoracic SCS who had participated in our prospective outcomes database with one-year follow-up to complete the validated, abbreviated UCLA Loneliness Scale (UCLA-3). We examined responses on question 9 of the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), question 12 of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and UCLA-3 due to their relevance to different aspects of loneliness. We conducted regression analyses to determine the relationship between aspects of loneliness and pain outcomes.ResultsWe identified that loss of interest in people, companionship, and feeling excluded were associated with pain outcomes. Loss of interest in people was associated with improvement in pain (NRS worst p = 0.021, r = 0.32, NRS least p = 0.004, r = 0.4; NRS right now p = 0.016, r = 0.33). Companionship and feeling excluded were also associated with pain. We examined the interface between depression and total loneliness and found that while both were related to each other, depression was not associated with pain outcomes.ConclusionsThis study demonstrates an association between loss of interest in people, companionship, and feeling excluded and worse postoperative pain outcomes after receiving SCS. It identifies aspects of loneliness as important factors to consider when predicting the outcomes of SCS therapy for chronic pain control.© 2020 International Neuromodulation Society.

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