抄録
Introduction: Previous reports have investigated the relationship between pain and suicide. On the other hand, we have treated some patients that complain suicidal ideation and attempt suicide, in spite of unbearable low back pain is removed. Therefore, the present study investigated suicide-related symptoms (suicidal ideation or suicide attempt) after removal of low back pain by comparing patients with depression and low back pain with patients with depression and headache.
Methods: The subjects were inpatients with depression who were treated at Jichi Medical University Hospital from April 1997 to March 2006. From among 138 patients who complained of pain for over one week, patients with either headache or low back pain were selected and divided into two groups, according to their region of pain. The “low back pain" group (n=22) consisted of patients who only complained of low back pain, while the “headache" group (n=26) consisted of patients who only complained of headache. Subsequently, these groups were statistically analyzed by comparing both with regard to hypochondriacal symptoms, suicide-related symptoms, and suicide-related symptoms after removal of pain.
Results: The “low back pain" group had significantly more hypochondriacal symptoms and suicide-related symptoms after removal of pain than the “ headache" group. With regard to suicide-related symptoms, no significant difference was observed.
Conclusion: These results suggest that the hyochondriacal complaint of low back pain is a manic element that mingles with the depressive phase. When low back pain is removed, patients can no longer complain of low back pain, thus the manic element of the depressive phase is lost. Consequently, it is thought that depression worsens and suicide-related symptoms appear.
In the treatment of low back pain among patients with depression, it is important to remain aware that some patients may attempt suicide after low back pain is removed.
