Accumulation of long-term diseases is associated with musculoskeletal pain dimensions among middle-aged individuals with musculoskeletal pain

Abstract

Background: Long-term diseases often co-occur with musculoskeletal (MSK) pain. In middle-aged individuals with MSK pain, it remains unclear whether an accumulation (two or more) of long-term diseases is associated with MSK pain dimensions, including pain frequency, bothersomeness of pain, pain intensity and number of pain sites.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included data from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 collected in 2012-2014 when the participants were 46 years of age. We included participants who reported having MSK pain during the previous year (collected retrospectively) and provided self-reported information related to MSK pain dimensions, long-term diseases and potential confounders (n = 4469). The association between long-term diseases and pain dimensions was modelled by general linear and logistic regression models, with beta (β) coefficients, odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) being presented. Unadjusted models were followed by models adjusted for sex, educational level and smoking.

Results: The presence of accumulated long-term diseases was associated with over two-fold higher odds of daily pain (adjusted OR 2.6, 95% CI 2.0-3.4) and significantly higher levels of bothersomeness of pain and pain intensity (adjusted β 1.1, 95% CI 0.9-1.4; adjusted β 1.0, 95% CI 0.8-1.1, respectively), relative to the absence of long-term diseases. Females with accumulated long-term diseases had a stronger relationship to number of pain sites than males. Associations between one long-term disease and pain dimensions were significant but smaller in magnitude.

Conclusion: There is a need for a better understanding of the relationships between accumulated long-term diseases and MSK pain.

Significance: This study on middle-aged individuals with musculoskeletal pain showed that the presence of long-term diseases was clearly associated with pain frequency, bothersomeness of pain, pain intensity and number of pain sites. Compared with no long-term diseases, the association between accumulated (two or more) long-term diseases and pain dimensions was stronger than the association between one long-term disease and pain dimensions.