title: Cognitive function in patients with chronic pain treated with opioids: characteristics and associated factors.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil. geana@rh.regionh.dk
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Kurita
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: de Mattos Pimenta
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Braga
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Frich
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Jørgensen
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Højsted
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sjøgren
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003710:Demography; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D011930:Reaction Time; D012044:Regression Analysis
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid