Sleep disturbance to pain catastrophizing to pain intensity pathway found to be an important mechanistic pathway aggravating pain issues among methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) along with chronic pain, a study in The Clinical Journal of Pain concluded.

Ponce Martinez, Caridad et al. evaluated the cross-sectional associations between the intensity of pain, pain catastrophizing, and sleep disturbance in patients getting MMT for OUD and along with chronic pain.

Out of a cross-sectional study of 164 MMT patients who accomplished a battery of self-report measures, 89 patients with OUD and chronic pain were included. All the possible pathways were explored via 6 mediation models (i.e., every variable regarded as an independent, mediator, or dependent variable).

Interestingly, the indirect effect of sleep disturbance on pain intensity via pain catastrophizing was the only important mediation effect. More sleep disturbance was linked with greater pain catastrophizing, which gave way to greater pain intensity.

Interventions aimed at sleep disturbance may be assured among MMT patients with OUD and chronic pain noted the study authors. Future studies based on longitudinal data is necessary.