Exploring the interplay between pain processing mechanisms, psychosocial factors, and functional outcomes in patients with chronic low back pain: an exploratory study
Background Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a prevalent condition associated with disability and increased health service usage. Understanding the interrelationship between central pain processing mechanisms, psychological factors, and functional outcomes in patients with CLBP may enhance their clini...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Taylor & Francis Group
2025-12-01
|
| Series: | Annals of Medicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/07853890.2025.2536203 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849409408297074688 |
|---|---|
| author | Jaime Jordán-López María D. Arguisuelas Julio Doménech M. Lourdes Peñalver-Barrios Marta Miragall Rocío Herrero Rosa M. Baños Juan J. Amer-Cuenca Juan F. Lisón |
| author_facet | Jaime Jordán-López María D. Arguisuelas Julio Doménech M. Lourdes Peñalver-Barrios Marta Miragall Rocío Herrero Rosa M. Baños Juan J. Amer-Cuenca Juan F. Lisón |
| author_sort | Jaime Jordán-López |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a prevalent condition associated with disability and increased health service usage. Understanding the interrelationship between central pain processing mechanisms, psychological factors, and functional outcomes in patients with CLBP may enhance their clinical assessment and treatment. This present study aimed to explore correlations between pain intensity and pain processing mechanisms (quantitative sensory testing [QST]), psychological factors (kinesiophobia, catastrophising, and anxiety), and functional outcomes (lumbar flexion-evoked pain thresholds and functional capacity) in individuals with CLBP.Methods In this exploratory study we recruited 50 patients with CLBP from a tertiary hospital in Valencia, Spain. Pain processing mechanisms were assessed using QST parameters (pressure pain threshold [PPT], temporal summation [TS], and conditioned pain modulation [CPM]). Psychological factors were measured through validated scales and functional outcomes were assessed via lumbar flexion-evoked pain threshold and the 1-minute sit-to-stand (STS60) test. Pearson correlation and stepwise regression analyses were used to examine associations and predictive relationships.Results Pain intensity was significantly associated with reduced PPT, low CPM, slower STS60 performance, and elevated kinesiophobia, catastrophising, and anxiety levels (p < 0.05). Regression analysis identified the PPT and STS60 results as significant predictors of pain intensity (AdjR2 = 0.397, p < 0.001), accounting for 39.7% of the variation in lumbar pain. In turn, STS60 performance and catastrophising were significant predictors of kinesiophobia (AdjR2 = 0.291, p < 0.001) accounting for 29.1% of its variation.Conclusion Pain intensity in patients with CLBP correlates with central sensitisation, psychological distress, and functional limitations. PPT and STS60 may serve as valuable clinical indicators of pain severity and functional impairment, respectively. These findings support a multidimensional assessment framework for CLBP, integrating sensory, psychological, and functional factors to inform comprehensive treatment strategies. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-666b4211b23e4a1fbf71b5cd607753e1 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0785-3890 1365-2060 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Annals of Medicine |
| spelling | doaj-art-666b4211b23e4a1fbf71b5cd607753e12025-08-20T03:35:29ZengTaylor & Francis GroupAnnals of Medicine0785-38901365-20602025-12-0157110.1080/07853890.2025.2536203Exploring the interplay between pain processing mechanisms, psychosocial factors, and functional outcomes in patients with chronic low back pain: an exploratory studyJaime Jordán-López0María D. Arguisuelas1Julio Doménech2M. Lourdes Peñalver-Barrios3Marta Miragall4Rocío Herrero5Rosa M. Baños6Juan J. Amer-Cuenca7Juan F. Lisón8Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Health Sciences, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, Valencia, SpainDepartment of Physiotherapy, School of Health Sciences, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, Valencia, SpainDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, SpainDepartment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Hospital Arnau de Vilanova, Valencia, SpainCIBER of Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition (CIBEROBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, SpainCIBER of Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition (CIBEROBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, SpainCIBER of Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition (CIBEROBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, SpainDepartment of Physiotherapy, School of Health Sciences, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, Valencia, SpainDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, School of Health Sciences, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, Valencia, SpainBackground Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a prevalent condition associated with disability and increased health service usage. Understanding the interrelationship between central pain processing mechanisms, psychological factors, and functional outcomes in patients with CLBP may enhance their clinical assessment and treatment. This present study aimed to explore correlations between pain intensity and pain processing mechanisms (quantitative sensory testing [QST]), psychological factors (kinesiophobia, catastrophising, and anxiety), and functional outcomes (lumbar flexion-evoked pain thresholds and functional capacity) in individuals with CLBP.Methods In this exploratory study we recruited 50 patients with CLBP from a tertiary hospital in Valencia, Spain. Pain processing mechanisms were assessed using QST parameters (pressure pain threshold [PPT], temporal summation [TS], and conditioned pain modulation [CPM]). Psychological factors were measured through validated scales and functional outcomes were assessed via lumbar flexion-evoked pain threshold and the 1-minute sit-to-stand (STS60) test. Pearson correlation and stepwise regression analyses were used to examine associations and predictive relationships.Results Pain intensity was significantly associated with reduced PPT, low CPM, slower STS60 performance, and elevated kinesiophobia, catastrophising, and anxiety levels (p < 0.05). Regression analysis identified the PPT and STS60 results as significant predictors of pain intensity (AdjR2 = 0.397, p < 0.001), accounting for 39.7% of the variation in lumbar pain. In turn, STS60 performance and catastrophising were significant predictors of kinesiophobia (AdjR2 = 0.291, p < 0.001) accounting for 29.1% of its variation.Conclusion Pain intensity in patients with CLBP correlates with central sensitisation, psychological distress, and functional limitations. PPT and STS60 may serve as valuable clinical indicators of pain severity and functional impairment, respectively. These findings support a multidimensional assessment framework for CLBP, integrating sensory, psychological, and functional factors to inform comprehensive treatment strategies.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/07853890.2025.2536203Chronic low back painbiopsychosocial modelcentral sensitisationquantitative sensory testingpsychological factorsfunctional capacity |
| spellingShingle | Jaime Jordán-López María D. Arguisuelas Julio Doménech M. Lourdes Peñalver-Barrios Marta Miragall Rocío Herrero Rosa M. Baños Juan J. Amer-Cuenca Juan F. Lisón Exploring the interplay between pain processing mechanisms, psychosocial factors, and functional outcomes in patients with chronic low back pain: an exploratory study Annals of Medicine Chronic low back pain biopsychosocial model central sensitisation quantitative sensory testing psychological factors functional capacity |
| title | Exploring the interplay between pain processing mechanisms, psychosocial factors, and functional outcomes in patients with chronic low back pain: an exploratory study |
| title_full | Exploring the interplay between pain processing mechanisms, psychosocial factors, and functional outcomes in patients with chronic low back pain: an exploratory study |
| title_fullStr | Exploring the interplay between pain processing mechanisms, psychosocial factors, and functional outcomes in patients with chronic low back pain: an exploratory study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring the interplay between pain processing mechanisms, psychosocial factors, and functional outcomes in patients with chronic low back pain: an exploratory study |
| title_short | Exploring the interplay between pain processing mechanisms, psychosocial factors, and functional outcomes in patients with chronic low back pain: an exploratory study |
| title_sort | exploring the interplay between pain processing mechanisms psychosocial factors and functional outcomes in patients with chronic low back pain an exploratory study |
| topic | Chronic low back pain biopsychosocial model central sensitisation quantitative sensory testing psychological factors functional capacity |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/07853890.2025.2536203 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jaimejordanlopez exploringtheinterplaybetweenpainprocessingmechanismspsychosocialfactorsandfunctionaloutcomesinpatientswithchroniclowbackpainanexploratorystudy AT mariadarguisuelas exploringtheinterplaybetweenpainprocessingmechanismspsychosocialfactorsandfunctionaloutcomesinpatientswithchroniclowbackpainanexploratorystudy AT juliodomenech exploringtheinterplaybetweenpainprocessingmechanismspsychosocialfactorsandfunctionaloutcomesinpatientswithchroniclowbackpainanexploratorystudy AT mlourdespenalverbarrios exploringtheinterplaybetweenpainprocessingmechanismspsychosocialfactorsandfunctionaloutcomesinpatientswithchroniclowbackpainanexploratorystudy AT martamiragall exploringtheinterplaybetweenpainprocessingmechanismspsychosocialfactorsandfunctionaloutcomesinpatientswithchroniclowbackpainanexploratorystudy AT rocioherrero exploringtheinterplaybetweenpainprocessingmechanismspsychosocialfactorsandfunctionaloutcomesinpatientswithchroniclowbackpainanexploratorystudy AT rosambanos exploringtheinterplaybetweenpainprocessingmechanismspsychosocialfactorsandfunctionaloutcomesinpatientswithchroniclowbackpainanexploratorystudy AT juanjamercuenca exploringtheinterplaybetweenpainprocessingmechanismspsychosocialfactorsandfunctionaloutcomesinpatientswithchroniclowbackpainanexploratorystudy AT juanflison exploringtheinterplaybetweenpainprocessingmechanismspsychosocialfactorsandfunctionaloutcomesinpatientswithchroniclowbackpainanexploratorystudy |