Abstract
To understand the variable response to pain, researchers have examined the change in cardiovascular measures to a uniform painful stimulation. Pain catastrophizing is the tendency to magnify or exaggerate pain sensations, and it affects the outcome of rehabilitation in a clinical setting. Its effect on cardiovascular changes during a painful stimulus is unclear. Twenty-four healthy human participants completed the study. All participants completed a cold pressor test while subjective pain intensity was measured with a numeric pain scale from 0–10. Continuous cardiac output measurements were obtained with finger-pulse plethysmograph waveform analysis. The measurements included systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate averaged over 30 s intervals. Pain catastrophizing and anxiety were assessed using the pain catastrophizing scale (PCS), and Spielberger’s State-Trait Anxiety Inventories, respectively. Peak pain was correlated to pain catastrophizing (r = 0.628, p < 0.01). There was a strong correlation between change in heart rate (HR) and subjective peak pain (r = 0.805, p < 0.01), total PCS (r = 0.474, p < 0.05), and the helplessness subscale of the PCS (r = 0.457, p < 0.05). Peak pain and catastrophizing explained a significant amount of the variance for the change in HR during the cold pressor test (R2 of 0.649 and 0.224 respectively, p = 0.019). These novel findings demonstrate a psycho-physiological relationship between cardiovascular changes and pain catastrophizing. Further research should include participants with subacute or persistent pain.
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All of the authors contributed to the design and concept of the study. Preparation of materials, data collection and analysis were performed by GK, AKM, NL, MEIM-V, EAB, FC, PD and GD. The first draft of the manuscript was written by GK and AKM, and all authors commented on the manuscript drafts. The final manuscript was read and approved by all of the authors. This study was approved by the Concordia University Ethics Committee (#30004539) in accordance with the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its amendments. All participants of the study provided signed, informed consent. Any information pertaining to their identity has been omitted.
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Kakon, G., Mohamadi, AA.K., Levtova, N. et al. Elevated Heart Rate and Pain During a Cold Pressor Test Correlates to Pain Catastrophizing. Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback 46, 359–366 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10484-021-09520-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10484-021-09520-4