Aggression, impulsivity, and suicide risk in benign chronic pain patients – a cross-sectional study

Figures & data

Table 1 Sociodemographic and health care variables of CPPs and control group

	CPPs	Controls	Statistical significance level
Age (mean ± SD)	61.2±13.1 years	62.4±14.3 years	t=−0.651, P=0.52
Level of education (upper secondary school diploma/degree)	20.2% (N=20)	22.8% (N=25)	χ^2=37.06, P=0.000
Sex (M/F)	68/31	60/50	χ^2=4.39, P=0.036
Married/cohabiting	77.8% (N=77)	70.9% (N=78)	χ^2=3.87, P=0.05
Having sons	90.9% (N=90)	94.7% (N=89)	χ^2=8.08, P=0.185
Living alone	12.1% (N=12)	13.6% (N=15)	χ^2=0.11, P=0.305
Work activity	70.7% (N=70)	80% (N=88)	χ^2=2.44, P=0.118
Psychiatric diagnosis	33.3% (N=33)	10.9% (N=12)	χ^2=16.16, P=0.000

Abbreviations: CPPs, chronic pain patients; SD, standard deviation.

Table 2 Causes, localization, duration of pain, and analgesic intake of CPPs

		Percentage of patients
Cause of pain	Disc herniation	38% (N=38)
	Back muscle strain	27.2% (N=27)
	Trauma	24.2% (N=24)
	Other causes	10.1% (N=10)
Pain localization	Lower limbs	35.3% (N=35)
	Lumbar region	31.1% (N=31)
	Upper limbs	21.1% (N=21)
	Neck	6% (N=6)
	Other site	6% (N=6)
Pain duration	Less than one year	27.3% (N=27)
	Between 1 and 4 years	41.4% (N=41)
	More than 4 years	31.3% (N=31)
Analgesic use	Yes	93.9% (N=93)
Exceeding dosages	Often	15.1% (N=15)
	Sometimes	18.2% (N=18)
	Never	66.7% (N=67)

Abbreviation: CPPs, chronic pain patients.

Figure 1 Statistical differences.

Notes: (A) Statistical difference of VAS mean values between CPPs and control group. (B) Statistical difference of MOAS total/auto-aggression/verbal aggression mean score between CPPs and control group. (C) Statistical difference of HDRS total/suicide mean score between CPPs and controls.
Abbreviations: VAS, Visual Analog Scale; CPPs, Chronic Pain Patients; MOAS, Modified Overt Aggression Scale; HDRS, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale.

Table 3 Significant correlations in CPPs and control group

		MOAS total score	MOAS auto-aggression score	MOAS verbal aggression score	MOAS aggression toward objects score	MOAS physical aggression score	HDRS suicide score
CPPs group
BIS total score	r	0.43	0.23	0.35	–	–	0.34
	P	0.00	0.025	0.00	–	–	0.001
HDRS suicide score	r	0.34	0.27	0.33	0.37	0.27	–
	P	0.00	0.007	0.001	0.00	0.008	–
Control group
HDRS suicide score	r	0.28	0.31	0.29
	P	0.002	0.001	0.002

Abbreviations: CPPs, chronic pain patients; MOAS, Modified Overt Aggression Scale; BIS, Barratt Impulsiveness Scale; HDRS, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale.

Table 4 Structured self-administered questionnaire about caregivers’ results

	Never/sometimes (mean ± SD)	Often (mean ± SD)	P-value
Caregiver ignores patient
MOAS total score	1.56±2.95	6.50±8.18	0.004
MOAS – aggression towards objects	0.10±0.45	1±1.15	0.000
MOAS – physical aggression	0.01±0.10	0.25±0.50	0.001
Caregiver listens to patient
MOAS – physical aggression	0.05±0.22	0.01±0.12	0.036
Caregiver distracts patient
MOAS total score	2.73±4.84	1.16±1.76	0.026
BIS	62.49±9.96	58.22±9.73	0.042

Abbreviations: SD, standard deviation; MOAS, Modified Overt Aggression Scale; BIS, Barratt Impulsiveness Scale.