Chronic Pelvic Pain Patients Demonstrate Higher Catastrophizing in Association with Pelvic Symptoms and Comorbid Pain Diagnoses

Annie Chen, Charles E. Argoff, Erin Crosby, Elise De
In: Urology · 2020 · vol. 150 , pp. 146–150 · doi:10.1016/j.urology.2020.06.055 · PMID:32668289 · W3041816246
article OA: closed CC0 ⤵ 3 in-corpus citations
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⚙ AI-generated summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-08 ⓘ

This study found that chronic pelvic pain patients reported higher levels of pain catastrophizing, which was associated with their pelvic symptoms and the presence of other pain conditions.

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Abstract

ObjectiveTo elucidate the relationship between catastrophization and pelvic pain symptomatology in chronic pelvic pain (CPP) patients using standardized questionnaires.MethodsCPP patients completed standardized questionnaires which included: genitourinary pain index, patient health questionnaire for anxiety and depression, interstitial cystitis symptom index, and pelvic floor distress inventory. Scores and number of comorbidities were compared to Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS) by linear regression. Patients categorized as "extreme catastrophizing" (PCS score ≥30), traditionally associated with worse outcomes in the pain literature [10-11], were also analyzed separately.Results184 patients were included (mean age 42 years, N = 23 male). Higher number of pain comorbidities was correlated to PCS (P < .001) as well as higher scores on all standardized questionnaires (P < .001). Forty-four percent of patients (81/184) were extreme catastrophizers and scored significantly worse on all standardized measures when compared to nonextreme catastrophizers. Mean scores for nonextreme vs extreme catastrophizers were: genitourinary pain index (25.7 ± 6.8 vs 32.7 ± 6.5, P < .001), interstitial cystitis symptom index (6.5 ± 4.7 vs 9.4 ± 5.8, P < .001), pelvic floor distress inventory (88.8 ± 52 vs 121.1 ± 62.8, P < .001), patient health questionnaire anxiety (1.7 ± 2.0 vs 3.6 ± 2.1, P < .001), and depression (1.4 ± 1.6 vs 3.3 ± 2.0, P < .001). Number of comorbidities was not significant predictor of extreme catastrophizing (3.5 vs 3.7 P = .22).ConclusionHigher scores on standardized questionnaires and more comorbidities was associated with more catastrophizing in CPP patients. This study highlights the significance of standardized questionnaires, including the PCS, to predict which patients may be extreme catastrophizers and thus subject to worse outcomes. Future studies are needed to look at catastrophization as a potentially modifiable and treatable risk factor.

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