This study provides moderate-level evidence for pain catastrophizing as an independent predictor of chronic pain post-TKA .
BACKGROUND Total knee arthroplasty ( TKA ) is a common and costly surgical procedure .
Despite high success rates , many TKA patients develop chronic pain  in the months and years following surgery , constituting a public health burden .
Pain catastrophizing is a construct that reflects anxious preoccupation with pain , inability to inhibit pain-related fears , amplification of the significance of pain vis-à-vis health implication s , and a sense of helplessness regarding pain .
Recent research suggests that it may be an important risk factor for untoward TKA outcomes .
To clarify this impact , we systematic ally review ed the literature to date on pain catastrophizing as a prospect i ve predictor of chronic pain following TKA .
Validation study of WOMAC: a health status instrument for measuring clinically important patient relevant outcomes to antirheumatic drug therapy in patients with osteoarthritis of the hip or knee.
Within the context of a double blind r and omized controlled parallel trial of 2 nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs , we vali date d WOMAC , a new multidimensional , self-administered health status instrument for patients with osteoarthritis of the hip or knee . The pain , stiffness and physical function subscales fulfil conventional criteria for face , content and construct validity , reliability , responsiveness and relative efficiency . WOMAC is a disease-specific purpose built high performance instrument for evaluative research in osteoarthritis clinical trials
This study provides moderate-level evidence for pain catastrophizing as an independent predictor of chronic pain post-TKA .
BACKGROUND Total knee arthroplasty ( TKA ) is a common and costly surgical procedure .
Despite high success rates , many TKA patients develop chronic pain  in the months and years following surgery , constituting a public health burden .
Pain catastrophizing is a construct that reflects anxious preoccupation with pain , inability to inhibit pain-related fears , amplification of the significance of pain vis-à-vis health implication s , and a sense of helplessness regarding pain .
Recent research suggests that it may be an important risk factor for untoward TKA outcomes .
To clarify this impact , we systematic ally review ed the literature to date on pain catastrophizing as a prospect i ve predictor of chronic pain following TKA .