Predictors of pain in children with established juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.
OBJECTIVE
To examine demographic and disease-related variables that affect pain in a large cohort of patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA).


METHODS
Selection criteria were an onset of JRA >/=5 years prior to study and age >/=8 years at the time of the study. Pain was measured by a self-administered 10-cm visual analog scale. Possible explanatory variables studied included age at study, sex, race, onset subtype, active disease duration, active joint count, and physician's global assessment (PGA).


RESULTS
In a multiple regression model, active disease duration, PGA, and age at study were independent predictors explaining 22% of the variation in pain scores. Stratified analyses showed an effect of age in the 8-15-year group, but not in older patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Disease-related factors explain only a small proportion of the variation in pain scores. Age has an effect on pain scores only in younger patients. The role of other factors, including psychosocial factors, needs further study.
Malleson
Peter N
PN
University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Oen
Kiem
K
Cabral
David A
DA
Petty
Ross E
RE
Rosenberg
Alan M
AM
Cheang
Mary
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001171:Arthritis, Juvenile / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012044:Regression Analysis