Henry Ford Hospital Medical Journal
Article Title
Second-Year Follow-up Study on Systematic Treatment of Chronic Pain with Antidepressants
Abstract
Systematic therapy with antidepressant drugs can be an effective treatment for chronic pain patients with the pain-prone disorder. This survey follows the pain status, medications, depressive symptoms, work status, and treatment of 104 patients treated for chronic pain at Henry Ford Hospital's Pain Clinic during a two-year period for chronic pain in the absence of a significant somatic disorder. No patients were excluded from treatment and the dropout rate of 64% after two years was not surprising. The pain of those who complied with therapy improved significantly (62%), compared to that of the patients who had dropped out of the treatment program (13%). However, depressive symptoms and work disability tended to persist in the majority, and antidepressant therapy frequently had to be continued.
Recommended Citation
Blumer, Dietrich and Heilbronn, Mary
(1981)
"Second-Year Follow-up Study on Systematic Treatment of Chronic Pain with Antidepressants,"
Henry Ford Hospital Medical Journal
: Vol. 29
:
No.
2
, 67-68.
Available at:
https://scholarlycommons.henryford.com/hfhmedjournal/vol29/iss2/3