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Table 7 Psychological factors and therapy compared between hand and low back pain

From: Pain chronification and the important role of non-disease-specific symptoms in patients with systemic sclerosis

Differences in main pain localization

Hand pain (n = 50)

Low back pain (n = 19)

HADS Anxiety Score

 Positive

4/45 (8.9%)

4/18 (22.2%)

 Borderline

7/45 (15.6%)

3/18 (16.7%)

HADS Depression Score

 Positive

3/45 (6.7%)

3/18 (16.7%)

 Borderline

4/45 (8.9%)

3/18 (16.7%)

MFHW ≤ 10

6/47 (12.8%)

6/19 (31.6%)

Analgesic drug therapy overall

22/50 (44.0%)

15/19 (78.9%)

 Analgesics WHO I (non-opioids)

21/50 (42.0%)

12/19 (63.2%)

 Analgesics WHO II (mild opioids)

5/50 (10.0%)

4/19 (21.0%)

 Analgesics WHO III (strong opioids)

2/50 (4.0%)

3/19 (15.8%)

Adjuvant pain medication

 Antidepressants

4/50 (8.0%)

5/19 (26.4%)

 Anticonvulsants

0/5 (0.0%)

1/19 (5.3%)

  1. Variables are presented as mean ± SD for normal distribution or as median with the 1st and 3rd quartiles (Q1, Q3) for non-normal distribution. Frequencies are shown as x/y: x = number of patients with item present, y = numbers of patients with accessible data; missing values can be calculated n − y
  2. HADS Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, MFHW Marburger Fragebogen zum habituellen Wohlbefinden (Marburg questionnaire on habitual health findings), n number, WHO World Health Organization