Anxious personality is a risk factor for developing complex regional pain syndrome type I

• Published in: Rheumatology international Vol. 32; no. 4; pp. 915 - 920
• Main Authors: Dilek, Banu, Yemez, Beyazit, Kizil, Ramazan, Kartal, Esin, Gulbahar, Selmin, Sari, Ozden, Akalin, Elif
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01-04-2012; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Anxiety - complications; Anxiety - psychology; Female; Humans; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Original Article; Personality; Personality Inventory; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Radius Fractures - complications; Radius Fractures - psychology; Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy - etiology; Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy - psychology; Rheumatology; Psychological factors; Fracture of distal radius; Anxiety; Complex regional pain syndrome
• ISSN: 0172-8172; 1437-160X
• DOI: 10.1007/s00296-010-1714-9

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of psychological factors in the development of complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) type I following the fracture of the distal radius. Fifty patients (average age 57.70 ± 13.43 years) with a distal radius fracture were enrolled in the present study. All of the patients were treated by closed reduction and cast immobilization. The Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20, Anxiety Sensitivity Index, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Beck Depression Inventory were used to determine the patients’ psychological features 2 days after the fracture. The patients were followed for 2 months after cast immobilization was completed using the International Association for the Study of Pain criteria to diagnose CRPS type I. CRPS type I developed in 13 (26%) patients of the 32 (34.4%) female patients and 18 (11.1%) male patients. The risk of CRPS type I was significantly increased in patients with high trait anxiety scores (
P
 = 0.038). The results show that, after fracturing the distal radius, patients who have an anxious personality have a higher risk of developing CRPS type I. Following these patients closely for the development of CRPS type I may be advantageous for early preventative and therapeutic interventions.