Widespread Pain Among Youth With Sickle Cell Disease Hospitalized With Vasoocclusive Pain: A Different Clinical Phenotype?
The purpose of this study was to describe the clinical phenotype of widespread pain (WSP) among youth with sickle cell disease (SCD) hospitalized with vasoocclusive pain.



One hundred fifty-six youth with SCD, between 7 and 21 years of age hospitalized at 4 children's hospitals for a vasoocclusive episode were evaluated. Data were collected during 1 day of the hospitalization.



Using the 2010 American College of Rheumatology guidelines, 21.8% of patients were identified as having WSP (pain in 7 or more unique body locations). Patients classified as having WSP had higher pain intensity (6.5 vs. 5.6; t=2.19, P=0.03) higher pain burden (13.0 vs. 9.8; t=3.09, P=0.002), higher acute functional disability (22.1 vs. 16.5; t=2.43, P=0.016), higher chronic functional disability (30.4 vs. 22.2; t=2.31, P=0.02), lower positive affect (22.9 vs. 27.6; t=2.23, P=0.027), and lower quality of life (56.2 vs. 62.9; t=1.99, P=0.049) than those youth with SCD without WSP.



Assessment of WSP may identify a unique clinical phenotype of youth with SCD with differing treatment needs.
*Connecticut Children's Medical Center ‡Institute of Living at Hartford Hospital, Hartford †University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT §Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA ∥Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA ¶Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MA #University of Washington and Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA.
William T
WT
Zempsky
Emily O
EO
Wakefield
James P
JP
Santanelli
Tamara
T
New
Kimberly
K
Smith-Whitley
James F
JF
Casella
Tonya M
TM
Palermo
D000293:Adolescent; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D059408:Pain Management; D010641:Phenotype; D011788:Quality of Life; D055815:Young Adult