Course and predictors of medically unexplained pain symptoms in the general population

Objective: The objective of this study was to explore the Course and the predictors of clinically significant medically unexplained pain symptoms (MUS-pain) within the 6 months preceding the interviews at baseline and oil follow-up in the general population. Methods: A Norwegian general Population Study of 605 persons interviewed with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview Somatoform Section was conducted in 1989/1990 (baseline), and 421 persons (69.6% response rate; 242 women and 179 men) were reinterviewed in 2000/2001 (follow-up). Cases of recent MUS-pain compared with those at baseline were assessed on follow-up. Four blockwise logistic regression analyses were undertaken to find predictors (Such as stressful life events, living alone, depression and anxiety, and physical morbidity) for recent MUS-pain in 2001. Results: A small "stable" group of recent MUS-pain Sufferers (8% of all reinterviewed and 33.6%, of those with recent MUS-pain at baseline) was evident. In this group almost all were women. In addition to female gender being a significant (P < .05) marker of recent MUS-pain (which gives a twofold-higher risk compared with men), only depression-not the Occurrence of prior recent MUS-pain-remained a significant (P < .05) predictor in the final model, increasing the likelihood of having recent MUS-pain by threefold. Conclusion: The prognosis of MUS-pain is relatively good, except for a small group (mainly women) that is prone to chronicity. Clinicians should examine for depression when confronted with MUS-pain patients and should be aware of the twofold-higher risk in women for persistent MUS-pain over a long time. (c) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.