title: Psychological predictors of the effectiveness of radiofrequency lesioning of the cervical spinal dorsal ganglion (RF-DRG).
abstract: In this study, 54 patients suffering from chronic cervicobrachialgia (mean pain duration 7 years) were treated with radiofrequency lesioning of the cervical spinal dorsal root ganglion (RF-DRG). The aim of the study was to investigate whether psychological variables would be predictive for the changes in pain intensity after medical treatment. The following psychological aspects were measured: pain cognitions, negative self-efficacy and catastrophizing, physical and psychosocial dysfunction, and overall distress. The level of catastrophizing before treatment appeared to predict 10% of the changes in pain intensity after treatment. Changes in pain intensity after RF-DRG were positively correlated with changes in psychosocial dysfunction and negative self-efficacy.
authors.affiliation: Pain Center, Institute for Anesthesiology, Department of Medical Psychology, University Hospital Nijmegen, The Netherlands. h.samwel@cksmps.azn.nl
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Samwel
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Slappendel
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Crul
authors.forename: V F
authors.initials: VF
authors.lastname: Voerman
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D020968:Brachial Plexus Neuritis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery*; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D005260:Female; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009437:Neuralgia / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D016634:Radiosurgery; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome