title: [Psychosocial stressors and pain sensitivity in chronic pain disorder with somatic and psychological factors (F45.41)].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Increased pain sensitivity is characteristic for patients with chronic pain disorder with somatic and psychological factors (F45.41). Persistent stress can induce, sustain, and intensify pain sensitivity, thereby modulating pain perception. In this context, it would be favorable to investigate which psychosocial stressors are empirically linked to pain sensitivity.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between psychosocial stressors and pain sensitivity in a naturalistic sample of patients with chronic pain disorder with somatic and psychological factors (F45.41).
  
  
  METHODS
  We assessed 166 patients with chronic pain disorder with somatic and psychological factors (F45.41) at entry into an inpatient pain clinic. Pain sensitivity was measured with a pain provocation test (Algopeg) at the middle finger and earlobe. Stressors assessed were exposure to war experiences, adverse childhood experiences, illness-related inability to work, relationship problems, and potentially life-threatening accidents. Correlation analyses and structural equation modeling were used to examine which stressors showed the strongest prediction of pain sensitivity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients exhibited generally heightened pain sensitivity. Both exposure to war and illness-related inability to work showed significant bivariate correlations with pain sensitivity. In addition to age, they also predicted a further increase in pain sensitivity in the structural equation model.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bearing in mind the limitations of this cross-sectional study, these findings may contribute to a better understanding of the link between psychosocial stressors and pain sensitivity.
authors.affiliation: Kompetenzbereich für Psychosomatische Medizin, Univ.-Klinik für Allgemeine Innere Medizin, Inselspital Bern, Bern, Schweiz. martina.studer2@insel.ch.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Studer
authors.affiliation: Kompetenzbereich für Psychosomatische Medizin, Univ.-Klinik für Allgemeine Innere Medizin, Inselspital Bern, Bern, Schweiz.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.affiliation: Kompetenzbereich für Psychosomatische Medizin, Univ.-Klinik für Allgemeine Innere Medizin, Inselspital Bern, Bern, Schweiz.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Egloff
authors.affiliation: Kompetenzbereich für Psychosomatische Medizin, Univ.-Klinik für Allgemeine Innere Medizin, Inselspital Bern, Bern, Schweiz.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zürcher
authors.affiliation: Kompetenzbereich für Psychosomatische Medizin, Univ.-Klinik für Allgemeine Innere Medizin, Inselspital Bern, Bern, Schweiz.|Departement für Psychosomatische Medizin, Klinik Barmelweid, Barmelweid, Schweiz.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: von Känel
authors.affiliation: Institut für Psychologie, Universität Bern, Bern, Schweiz.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brodbeck
authors.affiliation: Kompetenzbereich für Psychosomatische Medizin, Univ.-Klinik für Allgemeine Innere Medizin, Inselspital Bern, Bern, Schweiz.|Institut für Psychologie, Universität Bern, Bern, Schweiz.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grosse Holtforth
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000523:psychology*; D017288:Pain Threshold / Q000523:psychology*; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Algopeg; Chronic pain disorder with somatic and psychological factors (F45.41); Pain sensitivity; Psychosocial stressors; Structural equation model