Pain Catastrophizing, rather than Vital Signs, Associated with Pain Intensity in Patients Presenting to the Emergency Department for Pain

This study examined the relationships of self-reported pain intensity with vital signs, pain catastrophizing, and state anxiety in patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) for acute pain, exacerbations of chronic pain, or acute pain with concurrent chronic (combined) pain, comparing the pattern of relationships among these three pain groups. One hundred fifty-eight patients presenting to the ED for pain were recruited. Vital signs and self-reported pain intensity were obtained at triage, then participants completed self-report measures of pain catastrophizing, state anxiety, and demographic information. No significant associations were found between vital signs and pain intensity at triage in any of the pain groups. Pain catastrophizing was significantly associated with self-reported pain intensity in the acute pain group (r = .34, p