Location where the study was carried out: Multidisciplinary Pain Centre, Rigshospitalet Blegdamsvej 9, Afsnit 4114, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
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REGIONAL ANAESTHESIA & PAIN THERAPY
Cognitive function in patients with chronic pain treated with opioids: characteristics and associated factors
Article first published online: 4 SEP 2012
DOI: 10.1111/j.1399-6576.2012.02760.x
© 2012 The Authors. Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica © 2012 The Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica Foundation
Additional Information
How to Cite
KURITA, G. P., DE MATTOS PIMENTA, C. A., BRAGA, P. E., FRICH, L., JØRGENSEN, M. M., NIELSEN, P. R., HØJSTED, J. and SJØGREN, P. (2012), Cognitive function in patients with chronic pain treated with opioids: characteristics and associated factors. Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica, 56: 1257–1266. doi: 10.1111/j.1399-6576.2012.02760.x
Publication History
- Issue published online: 11 OCT 2012
- Article first published online: 4 SEP 2012
- Manuscript Accepted: 20 JUL 2012
Funded by
- State of Sao Paulo Research Foundation
- Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior
- Abstract
- Article
- References
- Cited By
Background
The paucity of studies regarding cognitive function in patients with chronic pain, and growing evidence regarding the cognitive effects of pain and opioids on cognitive function prompted us to assess cognition via neuropsychological measurement in patients with chronic non-cancer pain treated with opioids.
Methods
In this cross-sectional study, 49 patients were assessed by Continuous Reaction Time, Finger Tapping, Digit Span, Trail Making Test-B and Mini-mental State Examination tests. Linear regressions were applied.
Results
Patients scored poorly in the Trail Making Test-B (mean = 107.6 s, SD = 61.0, cut-off = 91 s); and adequately on all other tests. Several associations among independent variables and cognitive tests were observed. In the multiple regression analyses, the variables associated with statistically significant poor cognitive performance were female sex, higher age, lower annual income, lower schooling, anxiety, depression, tiredness, lower opioid dose, and more than 5 h of sleep the night before assessment (P < 0.05).
Conclusions
Patients with chronic pain may have cognitive dysfunction related to some reversible factors, which can be optimized by therapeutic interventions.