title: Predictors of pain in children with established juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Peter N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Malleson
authors.forename: Kiem
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Oen
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Cabral
authors.forename: Ross E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Petty
authors.forename: Alan M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Rosenberg
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cheang
mesh_terms: 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