ObjectiveTo investigate the pain catastrophizing level in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA) at different stages before and after operation, and to analyze its influencing factors.

MethodsOne hundred and twenty TKA patients were selected by convenience sampling method.A longitudinal study was designed to measure the pain catastrophizing level, pain degree, social support, family care, anxiety and depression, and sleep status of the patients at 5 time points: 1 day before operation(T₁), 3 days after operation (T₂), 2 weeks after operation(T₃), 1 month after operation(T₄), and 3 months after operation(T₅). The differences of the 5 measurements were compared, and the influencing factors of the patient' pain catastrophizing were analyzed.

ResultsThe pain catastrophizing scores at five time points were (26.17±8.84), (25.80±7.54), (15.75±3.66), (10.08±3.00), and (7.60±2.54), respectively.The analysis results of multi-factor linear regression showed that the measured time, sex, occupation, education degree, pain degree, social support, family care, anxiety and depression, and sleep were all influencing factors of pain catastrophizing in TKA patients (P < 0.05 to P < 0.01).

ConclusionsTKA patients have a high pain catastrophizing level which dynamically changes.Clinical medical staff should timely assess the dynamic changes of patients' pain catastrophizing; pay attention to the impact of demography, diseases, psychology, society, and other factors on the pain catastrophizing level of patients; and develop intervening measures.