Description of stable pain in rheumatoid arthritis: a 6 year study

OBJECTIVE: To study pain quality and variability in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Pain, disease activity, and functional status were assessed 3 times over 6 years in an initial cohort of 120 clinic patients with chronic pain from RA. A pain visual analog scale and the McGill Pain...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of rheumatology 2003-08, Vol.30 (8), p.1733-1738
Main Authors: ROCHE, Patricia A, KLESTOV, Alexander C, HEIM, Helen M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Activities of Daily Living
Aged
Arthritis, Rheumatoid - complications
Biological and medical sciences
Chronic Disease
Diseases of the osteoarticular system
Female
Humans
Inflammatory joint diseases
Male
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Pain - diagnosis
Pain - etiology
Pain Measurement
Patient Dropouts
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Summary:OBJECTIVE: To study pain quality and variability in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Pain, disease activity, and functional status were assessed 3 times over 6 years in an initial cohort of 120 clinic patients with chronic pain from RA. A pain visual analog scale and the McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ) were used to record pain intensity and quality. RA disease activity and function were measured. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference in any measure over the 3 assessments. RA pain intensity was moderate. The MPQ showed that sensory components of the pain were described in terms of pressure and constriction. Pain related affect was described with adjectives suggesting positive psychological adaptation to pain. CONCLUSION: The results indicate a general profile of no change in pain sensation, affect, and emotional quality in clinic monitored patients with ongoing RA and ongoing, moderate levels of disease activity and function. The MPQ provides qualitative detail to patient's report of pain severity that could be a useful addition to longterm documentation of RA outcome. Regular MPQ documentation of current pain in outpatients could indicate whether any significant change in pain levels is reflected in altered word selection that reflects physiological or psychological change, and could assist clinicians to select the most appropriate form of therapy for RA pain.
ISSN:0315-162X
1499-2752