1 Department of Health, Kinesiology & Applied Physiology, PERFORM Centre, Concordia University, Loyola Campus SP165.41 - 7141 Sherbrooke Street W., Montreal, QC, H4B 1R6, Canada.
2 Faculty of Dentistry, McGill University, 2001 Avenue McGill College, Montreal, QC, H3A 1G1, Canada.
3 Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, 3655 Promenade Sir-William-Osler, Montreal, QC, H3G 0B1, Canada.
4 Experimental Surgery, McGill University, 1650 Cedar Avenue, Montreal, QC, H3G 1A4, Canada.
5 Centre de Recherche de l'Institut, Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal, 4545, Chemin Queen-Mary, Montreal, QC, H3W 1W4, Canada.
6 IRISSE Laboratory (EA4075), UFR SHE, University of La Réunion, Le Tampon, France.
7 Department of Health, Kinesiology & Applied Physiology, PERFORM Centre, Concordia University, Loyola Campus SP165.41 - 7141 Sherbrooke Street W., Montreal, QC, H4B 1R6, Canada. pet

To understand the variable response to pain, researchers have examined the change in cardiovascular measures to a uniform painful stimulation. Pain catastrophizing is the tendency to magnify or exaggerate pain sensations, and it affects the outcome of rehabilitation in a clinical setting. Its effect on cardiovascular changes during a painful stimulus is unclear. Twenty-four healthy human participants completed the study. All participants completed a cold pressor test while subjective pain intensity was measured with a numeric pain scale from 0-10. Continuous cardiac output measurements were obtained with finger-pulse plethysmograph waveform analysis. The measurements included systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate averaged over 30 s intervals. Pain catastrophizing and anxiety were assessed using the pain catastrophizing scale (PCS), and Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety Inventories, respectively. Peak pain was correlated to pain catastrophizing (r = 0.628, p < 0.01). There was a strong correlation between change in heart rate (HR) and subjective peak pain (r = 0.805, p < 0.01), total PCS (r = 0.474, p < 0.05), and the helplessness subscale of the PCS (r = 0.457, p < 0.05). Peak pain and catastrophizing explained a significant amount of the variance for the change in HR during the cold pressor test (R² of 0.649 and 0.224 respectively, p = 0.019). These novel findings demonstrate a psycho-physiological relationship between cardiovascular changes and pain catastrophizing. Further research should include participants with subacute or persistent pain.