[Severity of chronic back pain. Assessment with the Mainz Pain Staging System].
BACKGROUND
Among the possible reasons for low back pain, psychological factors are getting more attention. Early assessment of the stage of chronicity is important for successful therapy. The aim of the present study was to analyse the applicability of the Mainz Pain Staging System (MPSS) for chronic back pain outpatients.


METHODS
Each of 679 back pain outpatients were assigned to one of the three MPSS stages of chronic back pain severity. Pain intensity and duration, anxiety and depression, pain sensation, impression of control and muscular capacity (isometric power of lumbal extensor), number of clinical consultations, hospitalisation, and days of work inability were also recorded.


RESULTS
Males and females showed levels of chronic pain increasing with age. Patients with high MPSS levels showed significantly higher mean scores for anxiety, depression, number of consultations, hospitalisation, and days of inability to work. Furthermore, the same patients showed lower impressions of control and muscular capacity.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study confirms the significance and usefulness of the MPSS applied to outpatients with back pain. To assess completely the stage of chronicity, psychological and physical/functional parameters should also be obtained.
Michalski
D
D
Therapiezentrum für Wirbelsäulenerkrankungen Leipzig. dm@tz-suhl-leipzig.de
Hinz
A
A
D000041:Absenteeism; D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000145:classification / Q000523:psychology; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D015897:Comorbidity; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000145:classification* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities / Q000523:psychology; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D013223:Statistics as Topic