[Chronic pain in the obese: a quali-quantitative observational study].
BACKGROUND
Obesity (Ob) is one of the major issues for the public health care system with a constantly increasing prevalence. Chronic Pain (CP), on the other hand, is a pathological condition as severe and prevalent as the former. Ob and CP are not only pathological conditions, they also are important factors of risk for the onset of a number of morbid conditions.


METHODS
In our study we have enrolled 182 patients with Ob, to whom we have asked to fill a brief questionnaire with the purpose of evaluating prevalence and characteristics of CP, therapeutic attitude and its results, as well as the knowledge of the Law n. 38 - 15/03/2010.


RESULTS
From the analysis of gathered data, CP is present in the 39% of subjects with Ob (73.2% of females and 23.9% of males) and proportionally increases as BMI increases. The majority of patients (48%) shows pain at articular level, and a "pin" and a "gripping" pain are the two types of pain that are mostly described. Almost all the subjects enrolled (90%) suffer of a pain reported at a moderate to intense level. 15% circa of the patients do not take any therapy, while FANS have resulted to be the most used drugs among them (over 50% of the patients) and the 45% of the subjects have currently reported not to have a good control over the pain. The Law n. 38 has been reported unknown by the 8.2% of the investigated sample.


CONCLUSIONS
The study has demonstrated a substantial association between the Ob and CP, particularly in the female gender, the clinical relevance of pain, its BMI-dependent tendency, the inadequacy of the therapy and the widespread lack of awareness and attention to the themes and issues of pain.
Stefano
S
Coaccioli
Francesco
F
Masia
Giorgio
G
Celi
Ilenia
I
Grandone
Mariano E
ME
Crapa
Giuseppe
G
Fatati
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015992:Body Mass Index; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires