The Prevalence of Depression and Anxiety Among Chronic Pain Patients in the Netherlands

Chronic pain is defined as pain which exists for a period longer than 3 months. The prevalence of chronic pain in the Netherlands is estimated to be 19 percent. Chronic pain is a complex disorder which is often challenging to treat. The dynamic interaction between de different aspects of chronic pain, like the somatic, physical and social aspects, make the treatment challenging. Patients with chronic pain have a three times increased risk of developing psychiatric symptoms (usually mood and anxiety disorders) and vice versa, patients with depression have a three times increased risk of developing chronic pain. Also independently chronic pain and depression are both invalidating disorders, regardless of age and gender. It has been found that there is an increased risk of suicide among patients with chronic pain. The complex interaction between chronic pain and depression and their cumulative effect on the quality of life in the Netherlands has not yet been completely identified. This is because the interaction between chronic pain and depression is not yet fully understood. The treatment can be improved when the interaction between pain and depression is better understood.

The research acts as a preliminary investigation for the treatment of patients with chronic pain with intrvenous esketamine, a recently approved treatment for treatment resistant depression.