title: Chronic pain and hepatitis C virus infection in opioid dependent injection drug users.
abstract: It is unknown whether infection with hepatitis C is a risk factor for pain among people who have used injection drugs. Multivariate regression was used to determine whether hepatitis C was associated with greater likelihood of reporting significant chronic pain and discomfort intolerance in a cohort of 97 injection drug users dependent on opioids. Study results suggest that participants with hepatitis C may be more likely to experience chronic pain (aOR=1.98; 95% confidence interval=0.76 to 5.12, p=0.16). Furthermore, hepatitis C was found to be associated with a higher discomfort intolerance scale score, reflecting intolerance to physical discomfort (β=2.34; 95% confidence interval=0.06 to 4.62; p=0.04). Hepatitis C may be a cause for chronic pain and discomfort intolerance that is overlooked among injection drug users dependent on opioids.
authors.affiliation: Boston Medical Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA. Judith.tsui@bmc.org
authors.forename: Judith I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Tsui
authors.forename: Debra S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Herman
authors.forename: Malyna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kettavong
authors.forename: Bradley J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Stein
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology