Cognitive change following cognitive behavioural therapy for non-cardiac chest pain.
BACKGROUND
Seventeen to 43% of patients with non-cardiac chest pain suffer from anxiety/panic disorders. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is effective in reducing non-cardiac chest pain. However, no data are available indicating that pain reduction following CBT may be cognitively mediated or whether success of CBT is dependent on the presence of panic. The aim of the study was threefold: (1) does CBT have a differential effect on cognitive measures; (2) does a relationship exist between improvement in non-cardiac chest pain and changes in cognitive measures, and (3) can panic be established as a moderator of the effect of treatment?


METHODS
Sixty-five patients with non-cardiac chest pain completed a randomised trial comparing study CBT with 'care as usual'. Dependent measures were: frequency of chest pain, anxiety, the fear of bodily sensations, attributions and catastrophic cognitions.


RESULTS
CBT had a differential effect on most of the cognitive measures. Pain reduction was associated with the development of more adequate cognitions with respect to chest pain, independent of anxiety reduction. Although panic patients reported higher baseline scores on the cognitive measures, no differences in treatment results were found between panic and no-panic patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Pain reduction following CBT may be cognitively mediated. The presence of panic did not affect the outcome of treatment, implying a broad applicability of the cognitive model for treatment of patients with non-cardiac chest pain.
Department of Psychiatry, Leiden University Medical Center, Oegstgeest, The Netherlands.
A S
AS
Van Peski-Oosterbaan
P
P
Spinhoven
A J
AJ
Van der Does
A V
AV
Bruschke
H G
HG
Rooijmans
D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D002637:Chest Pain / Q000523:psychology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales