OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether a pretreatment multimodal (MM) assessment of patients with chronic muscular pain has an impact on treatment outcome. METHODS: The present randomized-controlled study evaluated an MM assessment compared with routine multidisciplinary assessment given to a control group. The study population consisted of primary care patients with mixed chronic muscular pain. Variables assessed were: pain intensity, depression, life stress, quality of life (QOL), disability, working ability, and treatment satisfaction. Follow-up was performed at 15 months and 182 patients of 220 (83%) completed the study. RESULTS: Univariate and multivariate logistic regression showed from baseline to 15 months a significant improvement in QOL as measured by Short-Form 36 in the MM group compared with the control group on the domains of physical function (odds ratio 2.40; 95% confidence interval 1.32 to 4.37), role physical (2.37; 1.10 to 5.09), and role emotional (2.05; 1.05 to 3.96). Working ability improved more significantly in the MM group (46% versus 35%) and impairment was less (1% versus 15%) compared with the control group (p = 0.016). Satisfaction with the assessment was, on average, higher (p < 0.001) in the MM group than in the control group. DISCUSSION: Patients who underwent an MM assessment before treatment in comparison with patients receiving routine multidisciplinary assessment improved QOL, working ability, and were also significantly more satisfied. This result indicates that MM pretreatment assessment could be advantageous in the selection of patients for suitable rehabilitation treatment in a primary care setting, and also be used to prepare patients for future rehabilitation.

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