Catastrophism in Chronic Inflammatory Rheumatism

Catastrophic is defined as a negative cognitive and emotional response based on inadequate pain expression. It has three components: rumination, amplification and vulnerability. The assessment of catastrophism is carried out using a validated questionnaire called the "Pain Catatrophizing Scale" (PCS). Recent studies highlight the significant impact of catastrophism in neuromuscular and mechanical rheumatic diseases such as gonarthrosis gonalgia and low back pain. In these diseases, it has been shown that catastrophism has a negative impact both on the experience of pain and on the response to different types of treatments (medical and surgical). Several studies have implemented multidisciplinary management and in particular cognitive-behavioural therapy with an improvement in the pain experience in patients who are catastrophic. In chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, spondyloarthritis and psoriatic arthritis, the prevalence and impact of catastrophism is still poorly understood.