title: Body mass index, but not blood pressure is related to the level of pain in persons with chronic pain.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether obesity or blood pressure relate to the level of pain experienced by persons with chronic back pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective Study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University spine program.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adults seeking care for back pain of more than 3 months duration. METHODS OR INTERVENTIONS (OR ASSESSMENT OF RISK FACTORS): Measurement of weight, blood pressure, and pain on a numeric scale.
  
  
  METHODS
  Relationships between body mass index (BMI) and pain, blood pressure and pain.
  
  
  RESULTS
  198 subjects had a mean BMI of 29.50 ± 7.12, with 33.3% obese. The relationship between pain as a continuous variable and BMI approached significance (r= 0.125, n= 175, p= 0.098). The BMI of persons with lower pain scores of 0-3 was significantly different from those with high pain scores of 7-10. No significant relationship was found between pain and systolic (r=0.126, p=0.078) or diastolic (r= 0.099, p=0.165) blood pressure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Contrary to assumptions about acute pain, increased chronic pain does not appear to relate to increased blood pressure. The relationship of obesity with increased pain level among persons who have chronic pain raises the possibility that psychological or physiological mechanisms may be important above and beyond the biomechanical impact of obesity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Derek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.forename: Siera
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Goodnight
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Haig
authors.forename: Tareto
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nasari
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001416:Back Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index