A PSYCHIATRIC STUDY OF PATINTS WITH PERSISTENT LOW BACK PAIN

Psychological screening with the Middlesex Hospital Questionnaireat initial assessment failed to identify those patients withlow back pain who became persistent attenders or those laterjudged to have psychiatric disorder. Of those whose symptomshad failed to respond to conventional rheumatological treatmentand who were still attending after 90 days, 35% were diagnosedas having definite psychiatric morbidity. In the absence ofa control group the significance of this finding is uncertain,but its possible implications are discussed. ^*Present addresses: Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespingny Park,Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AFPresent addresses: Clinical Research Centre, Watford Road, Harrow,Middlesex HA1 3UJPresent addresses: Ottawa General Hospital, Ottawa, Ontaria,Canada