Psychological comorbidity of chronic low back pain

Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a common complaint among patients attending Physical Medicine Department. Psychological factors like depression, anxiety and somatisation were found to be associated with it. 100 patients with CLBP and their age, sex and economic conditions matched controls were screened with a validated Bengali version of GHQ-28. Study subjects with GHQ score four or more were evaluated for psychiatric disorder with standardized diagnostic interview. Among 100 cases 99% scored for or more in GHQ-28 and 91% had some form of psychiatric disorders was more among females both among cases and controls. Depression, somatisation disorder and generalized anxiety disorder were more prevalent among CLBP patients.