Comprehensive psychiatry
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Comprehensive psychiatry · Mar 2011
Assessing pain in depression: what do ratings on unidimensional pain scales really mean?
The study aims to determine which dimensions of pain-somatosensory, affective, or evaluative-would predict unidimensional pain scores in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD); compare the results with findings in cancer and chronic musculoskeletal pain patients; and examine the relationship between pain complaints and psychopathology. ⋯ Our data suggest that pain and emotional symptoms in MDD are not entirely related. In cases in which pain symptoms are severe or remain persistent despite treatment of depression, specific strategy targeting pain may be needed.