title: Tender point count, pain, and mobility in the older population: the mobilize Boston study.
abstract: Prevalence of tender points (TP), and widespread pain and fibromyalgia, as well as the relationship between TP and widespread pain and mobility, was examined in 585 community-dwelling older adults (mean age 78.2 years, 63.4% female). Pain was based on location (none, single site, multisite, widespread). Mobility was measured by the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), gait speed, and self-reported (S-R) mobility difficulty. Tender-point count and health characteristics (ie, BMI, chronic conditions, analgesic use, number of medications, depression, and blocks walked per week) were assessed. Several participants had 3 or more TP (22.1%) although prevalence of criteria-based fibromyalgia was low (.3%). Mobility was more limited in persons with higher tender-point counts. After adjustment for pain and other risk factors, higher tender-point count was associated with poorer SPPB performance (score < 10, aOR = 1.09 per TP, 95%CI, 1.01-1.17), and slow gait speed (< .784m/sec, aOR = 1.14 per TP, 95%CI, 1.05-1.24), but not with S-R mobility difficulty. S-R mobility difficulty was associated with more disseminated pain (multisite pain, aOR = 2.01, 95%CI, 1.21-3.34; widespread pain, aOR = 2.47, 95%CI, 1.09-5.62). These findings portray a significant mobility burden related to tender-point count and multisite and widespread pain in the older population. Future studies using longitudinal methods are warranted.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Higher tender-point count, multisite pain, and widespread pain are common in community-dwelling older adults and associated with mobility problems. Both the manual tender-point exam and the McGill Pain Map may provide important yet different information about risks for mobility disability in older individuals.
authors: Alzheimer's Disease Clinical and Research Program, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. lhp.eggermont@psy.vu.nl
authors: Laura H P
authors: LH
authors: Eggermont
authors: Robert H
authors: RH
authors: Shmerling
authors: Suzanne G
authors: SG
authors: Leveille
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001900:Boston; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010146:Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010808:Physical Examination; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D016138:Walking