Objective: This study was designed to evaluate the relationship between anxiety level before the interventional pain management procedures (IPMPs) and the outcome of the treatment.

Methods: From November 2005 to July 2006, upon finishing of each IPMP, 771 patients ranked their anxiety level immediately before IPMP with an anxiety scale (0: no anxiety, 10: worst anxiety) as well as VAS pain score before, during and after IPMPs in a 0 to 10 scale.

Results: A total of 771 patients (male: 249, female: 522) participated in the survey (mean age: 58.1 years). 621(80%) patients reported some degree of anxiety immediately before IPMPs with an average anxiety score of 4.1. There was a positive correlation between pre-procedure anxiety and pain perception during IPMPs (Correlation Coefficient = 0.375502, R2 = 14.1002, P=0.0205). Patients with higher anxiety level before IPMPs tend to feel more pain during IPMPs. There was a negative correlation between pre-procedure anxiety level and degree of pain relief after IPMPs (Correlation Coefficient = -0.110493, R2= 1.22087, p=0.0021). Patients with higher anxiety score before IPMPs tend to have less pain relief after the treatment. A negative correlation between pain during IPMPs and pain relief after IPMPs was also present (Correlation Coefficient = -0.152, R2= 2.32, p=0.000). Patients who experienced more pain during IPMPs had less pain relief from the treatment. There was no correlation between higher anxiety and worse pain.

Discussion: Results of the current study indicate patients with higher anxiety score immediately before IPMPs tend to feel more pain during IPMPs and have less pain relief after the treatment. These results suggest that special effort should be made to decrease anxiety level before IPMPs and procedure-induced pain during IPMPs in order to enhance the efficacy of IPMPs.