Systematic review with meta-analysis of childhood and adolescent risk and prognostic factors for musculoskeletal pain

Obesity, the new childhood disability? An umbrella review on the association between adiposity and physical function

The adverse physical impacts of childhood obesity are increasingly being recognized. The objective of this study is to examine relationships between physical function and adiposity in youth. An umbrella review searched seven databases from inception to May 2019 for systematic reviews examining associations between adiposity and physical function in 0-20-year-olds. Findings were synthesized using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Framework and NHMRC FORM. Seventeen of 21 systematic reviews reported impairments to body function, including cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), muscle function, balance/coordination, gait biomechanics, pain and injury. Six reviews reported activity restrictions in motor skills, running speed/agility and functional mobility, and two found inverse associations between adiposity and physical health-related quality of life (p-HRQOL). Some causal relationships indicated that adiposity inversely predicted p-HRQOL/CRF and CRF/muscle function inversely predicted adiposity. Assessments of physical function were heterogeneous and impacts on participation in life situations meaningful to the individual were largely unknown. Substantial evidence associates childhood overweight/obesity with reduced physical function. Associations were mainly cross-sectional, with causative evidence for some outcomes. Comprehensive physical function assessments by qualified health professionals are needed, along with targeted interventions to address deficits. Research should further examine causality of relationships, underlying mechanisms and participation challenges in real-life contexts.

[Medical pain care for children and adolescents with chronic pain in Germany : An inventory]

Chronic pain in children and adolescents is increasing in prevalence, affects the quality of life, predisposes to pain in adulthood and causes numerous contacts to the healthcare system. In contrast, the number of therapeutic offers tailored to the special needs of this age group is insufficient and confusing. The working group on pain in children and adolescents of the German Pain Society therefore documented appropriate facilities in a questionnaire survey carried out using a snowball system. The response rate of 27/109 questionnaires was low. Thus, the results may not be entirely representative. Nevertheless, the heterogeneity of the offers and in total an undersupply became very clear. In order to improve the care situation, joint efforts by the various pediatric subdisciplines dealing with pain, an increase in the number of child pain treatment centers and a better networking are necessary.

The Co-occurrence of Pediatric Chronic Pain and Depression: A Narrative Review and Conceptualization of Mutual Maintenance

OBJECTIVES

Internalizing mental health issues co-occur with pediatric chronic pain at high rates and are linked to worse pain and functioning. Although the field has prioritized anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder, little is known about co-occurring depression and chronic pain in youth, despite its high prevalence. The purpose of this narrative review was to examine the existing literature on the co-occurrence of pediatric chronic pain and depressive disorders and symptoms and propose a conceptual model of mutual maintenance to guide future research.

METHODS

The literature from both fields of pediatric pain and developmental psychology were searched to review the evidence for the co-occurrence of pediatric chronic pain and depression. Conceptual models of co-occurring mental health issues and chronic pain, as well as child depression, were reviewed. From both literatures, we provide evidence for a number of proposed child, parent, and neurobiological factors that may serve to mutually maintain both conditions over time. On the basis of this evidence, we propose a conceptual model of mutual maintenance and highlight several areas for future research in this area.

RESULTS

Evidence was found for the prevalence of depression in pediatric chronic pain as well as the co-occurrence of both conditions. The key mutually maintaining factors identified and proposed included neurobiological, intrapersonal (eg, cognitive biases, sleep disturbances, emotion regulation, and behavioral inactivation), and interpersonal (eg, parent mental health and pain, genes, and parenting) factors.

DISCUSSION

Given the dearth of research on mutual maintenance in this area, this review and conceptual model could drive future research in this area. We argue for the development of tailored treatments for this unique population of youth to improve outcomes.

Family history of pain and risk of musculoskeletal pain in children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Emerging evidence suggests that musculoskeletal (MSK) pain should be viewed from a biopsychosocial perspective and consider the influence of family factors. We conducted a review with meta-analysis to provide summary estimates of effect of family history of pain on childhood MSK pain and explore whether specific family pain factors influence the strength of the association (PROSPERO CRD42018090130). Included studies reported associations between family history of pain and nonspecific MSK pain in children (age <19 years). The outcome of interest was MSK pain in children. We assessed the methodological quality using a modified version of the Quality in Prognosis Studies instrument and quality of evidence for the main analyses using the GRADE criteria. After screening of 7281 titles, 6 longitudinal and 23 cross-sectional studies were included. Moderate quality evidence from 5 longitudinal studies (n = 42,131) showed that children with a family history of MSK pain had 58% increased odds of experiencing MSK pain themselves (odds ratio [OR] 1.58, 95% confidence interval 1.20-2.09). Moderate quality evidence from 18 cross-sectional studies (n = 17,274) supported this finding (OR 2.02, 95% 1.69-2.42). Subgroup analyses showed that the relationship was robust regardless of whether a child's mother, father, or sibling experienced pain. Odds were higher when both parents reported pain compared with one ([mother OR = 1.61; father OR = 1.59]; both parents OR = 2.0). Our findings show moderate quality evidence that children with a family history of pain are at higher risk of experiencing MSK pain. Understanding the mechanism by which this occurs would inform prevention and treatment efforts.

Relationships Between Psychological, Sleep, and Physical Activity Measures and Somatosensory Function in People With Peripheral Joint Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

OBJECTIVE

Alteration in somatosensory function has been linked to pain experience in individuals with joint pain. In this systematic review we aimed to establish the level of evidence of associations between psychological, social, physical activity, and sleep measures and somatosensory function that were assessed via quantitative sensory testing (QST) among individuals with joint pain.

METHODS

A comprehensive literature search was conducted in 6 electronic databases from their inception to July 2019. Two reviewers independently assessed the methodological quality using a modified Quality in Prognostic Studies (QUIPS) tool and supplemented with recommendations from the Critical Appraisal and Data Extraction for Systematic Review of Prediction Modelling Studies (CHARMS) checklist and the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS-2) tool. The level of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) system. Data were pooled to evaluate the strength of the relationships of interest.

RESULTS

Seventeen studies related to joint pain were included. Pain catastrophizing, depression, anxiety, and physical activity level have been shown to have a significant (small to fair) association with several QST measures. Pressure pain threshold (PPT) is the only measure that was found to be consistently correlated with all the domains. The overall quality of evidence for all factors ranged from very low to moderate. Subgroup analysis revealed a stronger association for depression and pain catastrophizing and PPT and temporal pain summation in individuals with shoulder pain.

CONCLUSION

Psychological factors and physical activity levels are associated with somatosensory function in people with joint pain. These factors need to be adjusted when establishing predictive relationships between somatosensory function and pain outcomes in individuals with joint pain.

Risk factors for non-specific neck pain in young adults. A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Young adulthood is a sensitive period of life where development of musculoskeletal neck pain may be established and impact future health. The objective of this systematic review was to investigate risk factors for non-specific neck pain in young adults.

METHODS

Systematic searches were conducted in six databases in September 2019. Prospective cohorts and registry studies including participants in whom the risk factor or the outcome (neck pain) was registered in the ages 18-29 years old were included. The Quality in Prognosis Studies tool was used for quality assessment. A modification of the Grading of Recommendations Assessments, Development and Evaluation was used to assess the overall quality of the evidence. Potential risk factors investigated in more than one study were summarised.

RESULTS

Searches yielded 4527 articles, of which six matched the eligibility criteria. Fifty-six potential risk factors were investigated in the six studies, covering a broad range of domains. Five risk factors were investigated in more than one study (female sex, body mass index (BMI), physical activity, duration of computer use and perceived stress). Physical activity and BMI showed no association with neck pain, and inconsistent results were found for female sex, duration of daily computer use and perceived stress. Risk of bias was moderate or high in all studies, and the overall quality of evidence was very low.

CONCLUSION

The studies included many potential risk factors, but none of them showed consistent associations with neck pain. There is a paucity of high-quality studies investigating risk factors for neck pain in young adults.

Parent Factors are Associated With Pain and Activity Limitations in Youth With Acute Musculoskeletal Pain: A Cohort Study

OBJECTIVES

Biopsychosocial models emphasize the influence of parent/family factors on pediatric chronic pain. Little is known about how parent factors differ across the acute to chronic pain continuum, or contribute to youths' pain experience in the acute pain period. The purpose of the study was to describe parent factors in youth with acute musculoskeletal pain (n=84) compared with youth with chronic pain (n=60) and youth without pain (n=61). Further, within the acute pain sample, we tested parent factors as predictors of child pain characteristics, as well as the moderating role of child sex on associations.

METHODS

Participants were 205 youth (age, 10 to 17) and one biological parent per child. Children reported on their own pain and activity limitations. Parents reported on their own chronic pain, somatization, and protective pain responses.

RESULTS

Parents of youth with acute pain had higher prevalence of chronic pain and greater somatization than parents of youth without pain. Parents of youth with acute and chronic pain did not differ. Linear regressions within the acute pain sample revealed presence of parent chronic pain and protective behavior were associated with child pain. Moreover, parent somatization was associated with child activity limitations. Within the acute pain sample, associations between parent protectiveness and child pain were moderated by child sex, with relationships stronger for female children.

DISCUSSION

Findings highlight the importance of parent factors on pain experiences of youth with acute musculoskeletal pain. Future longitudinal research can elucidate temporal associations that underlie how parent factors may impact transition from acute to chronic pain.

The Adolescent Knee Pain (AK-Pain) prognostic tool: protocol for a prospective cohort study

Background: One in three children and adolescents experience knee pain. Approximately one in two adolescents with knee pain will continue to experience pain even five years later and have low quality of life. The general practitioner (GP) is the first point of contact for children and adolescents with knee pain in Denmark. There is a variety of treatments being delivered in general practice, despite similar symptoms and patients' characteristics. This suggests a need to support the GPs in identifying those at high risk of a poor outcome early on, in order to better allocate resources. The aim of this study is to develop a user-friendly prognostic tool to support GPs' management of children and adolescents' knee pain. Methods: A preliminary set of items in the prognostic tool were identified using systematic reviews and meta-analysis of individual participant data. Following feedback from GPs and children and adolescents on the content and understanding, the tool was piloted and implemented in general practice. A cohort of approximately 300 children and adolescents (age 8-19 years old) is being recruited from general practices (recruitment period, July 2019 - June 2020). Clinically meaningful risk groups (e.g. low/medium/high) for the recurrence/persistence of knee pain (at 3 and 6 months) will be identified. Discussion: If successful, this prognostic tool will allow GPs to gain insights into the likely prognosis of adolescents with knee pain and subsequently provide the first building blocks towards stratified care, where treatments will be matched to the patients' prognostic profile. This has the potential to improve the recovery of children and adolescents from knee pain, to improve the allocation of resources in primary care, and to avoid the decline in physical activity and potential associated health and social consequences due to adolescent knee pain. Registration: Registered with ClinicalTrials.gov on 24 June 2019 (ID NCT03995771).

Weight Gain Trajectory and Pain Interference in Young Adulthood: Evidence from a Longitudinal Birth Cohort Study

OBJECTIVE

Obesity is associated with chronic pain, but the contribution of body mass index (BMI) trajectories over the life course to the onset of pain problems remains unclear. We retrospectively analyzed how BMI trajectories during the transition to adulthood were associated with a measure of pain interference obtained at age 29 in a longitudinal birth cohort study.

METHODS

Data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, 1997 Cohort (follow-up from 1997 to 2015), were used to determine BMI trajectories from age 14 to 29 via group trajectory modeling. At age 29, respondents described whether pain interfered with their work inside and outside the home over the past four weeks (not at all, a little, or a lot). Multivariable ordinal logistic regression was used to evaluate pain interference according to BMI trajectory and study covariates.

RESULTS

Among 7,875 respondents, 11% reported "a little" and 4% reported "a lot" of pain interference at age 29. Four BMI trajectory groups were identified, varying in starting BMI and rate of weight gain. The "obese" group (8% of respondents) had a starting BMI of 30 kg/m2 and gained an average of 0.7 kg/m2/y. On multivariable analysis, this group was the most likely to have greater pain interference, compared with "high normal weight" (odds ratio [OR] = 1.47, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.14-1.88), "low normal weight" (OR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.13-1.87), and "overweight" trajectories (OR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.02-1.73).

CONCLUSIONS

Obesity and rapid weight gain during the transition to adulthood were associated with higher risk of pain interference among young adults.

Prognostic factors for pain and functional disability in children and adolescents with persisting pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to investigate prognostic factors for pain and functional disability in children and/or adolescents with persisting pain.

DATABASES AND DATA TREATMENT

To be included, studies had to be published, peer-reviewed prospective cohort studies of children and/or adolescents with persisting pain at baseline, that reported at least one baseline prognostic factor and its relationship with pain or functional disability at least 1 month after baseline. Two reviewers independently assessed study eligibility, completed data extraction and undertook quality assessment. Meta-analyses were performed when a prognostic factor was reported in two or more studies.

RESULTS

Of 10,992 studies identified from electronic database searches, 18 were included, investigating 62 potential prognostic factors. In clinical settings, insufficient data were available for meta-analysis. Some positive associations with pain and/or disability were reported by single studies for older age, baseline pain intensity and baseline functional disability across multiple combinations of follow-up times and outcomes. In community settings, meta-analyses of two studies found that prognostic factors for the ongoing presence of pain at medium-term (1-year) follow-up were older age (OR 1.25; 95% CI = 1.05-1.47), weekly day tiredness (OR 1.69; 95% CI = 1.14-2.51), weekly abdominal pain (OR 1.44; 95% CI = 1.03-2.02) and waking during the night (OR 1.49; 95% CI = 1.05-2.13). No studies in community settings reported on prognostic factors for functional disability.

CONCLUSIONS

Prognostic factors having significant associations with future pain and disability were identified; however, as few were investigated in more than one comparable study, the results need to be interpreted with caution.

SIGNIFICANCE

Prognostic factors from across the biopsychosocial spectrum are important to consider in paediatric pain clinical practice. However, most prognostic factors that experts have previously agreed upon have not been assessed in prospective cohort studies to date. The findings may help with prioritising data to collect during clinical assessments of children presenting with pain, in the context of pain and functional disability outcomes.

Musculoskeletal pain in 6-year-old children: the Generation R Study

Musculoskeletal (MSK) pain is frequently reported among adolescents and children and is a common reason for consultation in primary care. Our aim is to examine its prevalence in 6-year-old children in a general population and to assess associations with physical and psychosocial factors. Data from the Generation R Study, a population-based cohort, was used. Prevalence and characteristics of MSK pain were assessed with parent-reported questionnaires at 6 years of age (N = 6200). Demographics and data on physical activity, sedentary behaviors, previous reported MSK pain, and behavioral problems were extracted from questionnaires. The body mass index SD score was calculated from objectively measured weight and height. A 3-month prevalence of 10.0% was found for MSK pain in children, of which one-third was chronic, and 44.6% experienced together with pain at other sites. Univariate analyses showed that boys and children with lower socioeconomic status reported MSK pain more frequently compared to other pain and no pain. Although no associations were found between MSK pain and children's body mass index and physical activity level, children with MSK pain were more likely to watch television ≥2 hours/day. Multivariable analysis showed significant associations for MSK pain at 3 years of age (odds ratio 5.10, 95% confidence interval 3.25-7.98) and behavioral problems (odds ratio 2.10, 95% confidence interval 1.19-3.72) with the presence of MSK pain. So, MSK pain is already common in young children and is often chronic or recurrent. Previous reported MSK pain and behavioral problems are independently associated with MSK pain in the studied population.

Chronic physical illnesses, mental health disorders, and psychological features as potential risk factors for back pain from childhood to young adulthood: a systematic review with meta-analysis

PURPOSE

To report evidence of chronic physical illnesses, mental health disorders, and psychological features as potential risk factors for back pain in children, adolescents, and young adults.

METHODS

This systematic review and meta-analysis included cohort and inception cohort studies that investigated potential risk factors for back pain in young people. Potential risk factors of interest were chronic physical illnesses, mental health disorders (e.g. depression, anxiety), and other psychological features (e.g. coping, resistance). Searches were conducted in MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, and Scopus from inception to July 2019.

RESULTS

Nineteen of 2167 screened articles were included in the qualitative synthesis, and data from 12 articles were included in the meta-analysis. Evidence from inception cohort studies demonstrated psychological distress, emotional coping problems, and somatosensory amplification to be likely risk factors for back pain. Evidence from non-inception cohort studies cannot distinguish between risk factors or back pain triggers. However, we identified several additional factors that were associated with back pain. Specifically, asthma, headaches, abdominal pain, depression, anxiety, conduct problems, somatization, and 'feeling tense' are potential risk factors or triggers for back pain. Results from the meta-analyses demonstrated the most likely risk factors for back pain in young people are psychological distress and emotional coping problems.

CONCLUSION

Psychological features are the most likely risk factors for back pain in young people. Several other factors were associated with back pain, but their potential as risk factors was unclear due to risk of bias. Additional high-quality research is needed to better elucidate these relationships. These slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material.

Review of childhood pain highlights the role of negative stress

AIM

Recurrent pain of unknown origin is a major problem in children. The aim of the present review was to examine the hypothesis of negative stress as an aetiology of recurrent pain from different aspects.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Epidemiological studies, clinical experience and hormonal data give support for such a hypothesis. Negative stress as a tentative aetiology for recurrent pain is reviewed. Stress, muscular tension, the startle reaction and its tentative relation to pain is illuminated. Deviations of hormonal secretion supporting a stress aetiology are mentioned. The role of central sensitisation for recurrent pain is discussed. Possible aetiological implications of recurrent pain as a local symptom or a general disorder are presented. Brain changes due to stress are shortly reviewed. Stress and pain in the clinic are highlighted. The importance of biological, psychological and social factors, as well as genetic elements, is discussed.

CONCLUSION

Stress elicits neurobiological mechanisms. They may lead to many neurophysiological deviances. Increase of muscle tension and neuromuscular excitability and enhanced startle reaction may be of importance for recurring pain. The identification of stress as a primary cause of recurrent pain can have huge implications for understanding signs and treatment in clinical practice.

Relationships Between Psychological, Social, Physical Activity, and Sleep Measures and Somatosensory Function in Individuals With Spinal Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

Somatosensory abnormalities are linked to clinical pain outcomes in individuals with spinal pain. However, a range of factors might confound the relationship between altered somatosensory function and clinical pain outcomes. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the literature to assess the level of evidence of associations between psychological, social, physical activity, and sleep measures and somatosensory function (assessed via sensory psychophysical testing) among individuals with spinal pain.

METHODS

A comprehensive literature search was performed in 6 electronic databases from their inception to June 2018. Two reviewers independently assessed the methodological quality using a modified Quality in Prognostic Studies (QUIPS) tool and supplemented with recommendations from the Critical Appraisal and Data Extraction for the Systematic Review of Prediction Modelling Studies (CHARMS) checklist and the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS-2) tool. The level of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) system. Data were pooled to evaluate the strength of the relationships of interest.

RESULTS

Among the 17 factors identified in the included studies, pain catastrophizing, depression, and pain-related fear have significant negative (small to fair) associations with pain thresholds. A "very low" to "moderate" quality of evidence was found for all the investigated factors. Subgroup analysis showed a smaller effect size for pain catastrophizing/fear of movement and pain thresholds in individuals with low back pain.

CONCLUSIONS

Psychological factors are associated negatively with pain thresholds and they need to be adjusted when establishing predictive relationships between somatosensory function and pain outcomes in individuals with spinal pain.

Baseline musculoskeletal pain and impaired sleep related to school pressure influence the development of musculoskeletal pain in N = 107 adolescents in a 5-year longitudinal study

PURPOSE

This longitudinal study followed 10- to 13-year-old adolescents for 5 years to investigate the effects of juvenile musculoskeletal (MSK) pain and psychosocial risk factors on future pain. We further predicted that increased MSK pain at follow-up would be positively related to current school pressure at follow-up and negatively related to current sleep quality. Sleep quality was tested as a potential mediator of the link between school pressure and MSK pain at follow-up after controlling for baseline MSK pain.

METHODS

The baseline sample comprised 189 adolescents, and 5-year follow-up resulted in 107 15- to 18-year-old adolescents who had completed mandatory education. Adolescents responded to an online questionnaire about psychosocial stressors, MSK pain, school achievement and leisure activities. A longitudinal hierarchic linear regression including all significant baseline predictors was run to assess their impact on MSK pain 5 years later. Mediation analysis was used to investigate sleep quality as a potential mediator of the relationship between school pressure and MSK pain at follow-up.

RESULTS

Baseline MSK pain predicted MSK pain over a time lag of 5 years (ß = .26, p = .02). The relationship between follow-up school pressure and current MSK pain was mediated by sleep quality at follow-up (B = .17, SE_B = .07, 95% CI .06-.34) when baseline MSK pain was controlled.

CONCLUSIONS

Juvenile MSK pain predicts MSK pain in adolescence. A psychosocial mediation model including school pressure and sleep impairments has the potential to explain MSK pain mechanisms in adolescents. These slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material.

Potential risk factors and triggers for back pain in children and young adults. A scoping review, part I: incident and episodic back pain

Background

The one-month prevalence of back pain in children and adolescents has been reported at 33, 28 and 48% at ages 9, 13 and 15 respectively. There are many suspected risk factors and triggers of back pain in young people.

Objective

The purpose of this scoping review was to identify potential risk factors and potential triggers for back pain in young people. The purpose of part I was to identify potential risk factors for incident and episodic back pain in young people. Part II included all eligible studies with unclear or mixed types of back pain.

Methods

Due to the vast number of studies on "risk factors" for back pain, a two-part scoping review of the literature was chosen as the best way to summarise the evidence. We adhered to the PRISMA-ScR guideline for scoping reviews. General potential risk factors and triggers for back pain in children and young adults (≤ 24 years) were included, incorporating physical, environmental, and/or physiological factors. A search was conducted using PubMed and Cochrane databases from inception to September 2018, limited to the English language. Within part I, and because of their importance, only the results of the studies that investigated risk factors of incident back pain and back pain episodes are presented.

Results

The search identified 7356 articles, of which 91 articles were eligible for this scoping review. The majority of the eligible articles had an unclear definition of back pain (results presented in scoping review part II). There were 7 inception cohort studies included and 1 cohort study that met the criteria for part I. The most consistent risk factors for incident and episodic back pain are female sex and older age.

Conclusion

Due to inconsistent ways of reporting on the type of back pain, no definitive risk factor for back pain has been identified. In general, females often report more symptoms, also for other diseases, and older age is not a useful risk factor as it merely indicates that the onset may not be in childhood. Clearly, the time has come to study the causes of back pain from different angles.

Evaluation of pain in pediatric upper extremity conditions

STUDY DESIGN

Narrative Review.

INTRODUCTION

Hand surgeons and therapists play an important role in the early identification of children at risk of developing chronic or recurrent pain after an upper extremity injury. Early identification of children at risk of developing a pain syndrome is critical because their physical, psychological, and/or social functioning may decline quickly without proper management due to the multidimensional nature of pain.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

This article outlines one approach to evaluating upper extremity pain in children to help identify those with, or at risk of, chronic pain.

METHODS

An assessment framework that recognizes the biological, sensory, emotional, and psychosocial components of pain is described.

RESULTS

The key components of a screening evaluation include obtaining a detailed history and a thorough physical examination that involves: systematic upper extremity mapping of sensory thresholds, mapping of sensory disturbances, and screening of self-reported pain intensity, location, descriptors, and interference.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

The evaluation approach described will enable hand therapists to identify children with upper extremity pain that are at risk of developing a chronic pain and make an early referral to a multidisciplinary pain team that provides education, pharmacological pain management, physical rehabilitation, and psychological treatments.

Beneficial Effects of Regular Physical Activity on Exercise-Induced Analgesia in Adolescent Males

PURPOSE

To evaluate exercise-induced analgesia (EIA) effectiveness in healthy adolescent males and to investigate possible associations between EIA and physiological/psychological variables.

METHODS

Twenty-eight healthy adolescent males (14-17 y) participated in this study. EIA was evaluated by comparing perceptions of heat pain stimulations before and after an increasing maximal load test on a cycle ergometer (VO2max).

RESULTS

Pain intensity for mild and strong heat pain stimulations significantly decreased following physical exercise (mild: EIA = 28.6%; 95% confidence interval, 0.9-1.9; P < .001 and strong: EIA = 11.3%; 95% confidence interval, 0.3-1.4; P = .002). The number of physical activity hours per week was positively correlated with the effectiveness of EIA for mild and strong pain intensity (r = .41, P = .03 and r = .43, P = .02, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Intense physical exercise decreases perception of intensity of experimental heat pain in healthy adolescent males. The least physically active adolescents have reduced EIA effectiveness to experimental heat pain stimulations compared with physically active ones. Adolescents adopting an active lifestyle have more endogenous pain inhibition and could, therefore, potentially be less disposed to suffer from chronic pain later in life.

Back pain, mental health and substance use are associated in adolescents

BACKGROUND

During adolescence, prevalence of pain and health risk factors such as smoking, alcohol use and poor mental health all rise sharply. The aim of this study was to describe the relationship between back pain and health risk factors in adolescents.

METHODS

Cross-sectional data from the Healthy Schools Healthy Futures study, and the Australian Child Wellbeing Project was used, mean age: 14-15 years. Children were stratified according to back pain frequency. Within each strata, the proportion of children that reported drinking alcohol or smoking or that experienced feelings of anxiety or depression was reported. Test-for-trend analyses assessed whether increasing frequency of pain was associated with health risk factors.

RESULTS

Data was collected from ~2500 and 3900 children. Larger proportions of children smoked or drank alcohol within each strata of increasing pain frequency. The trend with anxiety and depression was less clear, although there was a marked difference between the children that reported no pain, and pain more frequently.

CONCLUSION

Two large, independent samples show adolescents that experience back pain more frequently are also more likely to smoke, drink alcohol and report feelings of anxiety and depression. Pain appears to be part of the picture of general health risk in adolescents.

Pain, Physical, and Psychosocial Functioning in Adolescents at Risk for Developing Chronic Pain: A Longitudinal Case-Control Stusdy

This longitudinal case-control study aims to 1) compare symptoms and functioning in otherwise healthy adolescents with versus without a parent with chronic pain (Parent CP+/Parent CP-) 2) test adolescent sex as a moderator of the relation between parent CP group and child functioning, and 3) determine changes in adolescent pain over 1 year. Adolescents (n = 140; ages 11-15) completed tests of pain responsivity and physical function, as well as self-report measures assessing pain characteristics, somatic symptoms, and physical and psychosocial functioning. Self-reported pain and somatic symptoms were reassessed 1 year later. Adolescents in the Parent CP+ group reported greater pain, somatic symptoms, and worse physical health than Parent CP- youth. Parent CP+ youth performed worse on all tests of physical function. Some observed effects were stronger for girls than boys. There were no differences between groups on pain responsivity. Both groups reported increased pain and somatic symptoms from baseline to 1-year follow-up, with the Parent CP+ group reporting the highest level of symptoms at both time points. This study highlights the potential impact of parental pain status on children, particularly daughters, and is the first to document objective physical functioning differences in youth at risk for developing chronic pain. PERSPECTIVE: Adolescents who have a parent with chronic pain demonstrate higher pain and lower physical function than adolescents who have a parent without chronic pain. Group differences in pain and somatic symptoms persist over 1 year. Family based interventions are needed for comprehensive pain prevention and treatment.

Risk factors for episodes of back pain in emerging adults. A systematic review

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

The transition from adolescence to adulthood is a sensitive period in life for health outcomes, including back pain. The objective was to synthesize evidence on risk factors for new episodes of back pain in emerging adults (18-29 years).

METHODS

The protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42016046635). We searched Medline; EMBASE; AMED and other databases up to September 2018 for prospective cohort studies that estimated the association between risk factor(s) and self-reported back pain. Risk factors could be measured before or during the age range 18-29 years, and back pain could be measured during or after this age range, with at least 12 months between assessments. Risk factors assessed in ≥3 studies were summarized. Risk of bias was assessed using a 6-item checklist.

RESULTS

Forty-nine studies were included with more than 150 different risk factors studied. Nine studies had low risk of bias, 26 had moderate and 14 had high risk of bias. Age, sex, height, body mass index (BMI), smoking, physical activity level, a history of back pain, job satisfaction and structural imaging findings were investigated in three or more studies. History of back pain was the only risk factor consistently associated with back pain after adjustment (nine studies).

CONCLUSION

There is moderate quality evidence that a history of back pain is a risk factor for back pain. There are inconsistent associations for age, sex, height, BMI, smoking and activity level. No associations were found between job satisfaction and structural imaging findings and back pain.

SIGNIFICANCE

Emerging adulthood is a transitional period of life with changes in life style, potentially influencing future musculoskeletal health. This systematic review included 49 articles evaluating more than 150 potential risk factors for back pain, one of the most prevalent musculoskeletal disorders. No consistent results were found for life style factors such as physical activity level or BMI, both highlighted as important risk factors in previous literature. Importantly, a previous episode of back pain was a consistent risk factor for a new episode of back pain across several studies, and further investigation of risk factors for the first back pain episode is needed.

Poor prognosis of child and adolescent musculoskeletal pain: a systematic literature review

OBJECTIVES

To identify baseline patient characteristics that are (1) associated with a poor outcome on follow-up regardless of which treatment was provided (prognosis) or (2) associated with a successful outcome to a specific treatment (treatment effect modifiers).

DESIGN

Systematic literature review according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines.

DATA SOURCES

Medline, Embase, Cinahl, Web of Science, Cochrane, SportDiscus, OT Seeker and PsychInfo were searched for prospective cohort studies up to February 2019 without limitation in publication date.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Prospective cohort studies reporting either prognostic factors or treatment effect modifiers on persistent musculoskeletal pain in 0-year-old to 19-year-old children and adolescents. Pain caused by tumours, fractures, infections, systemic and neurological conditions were excluded.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Our primary outcome was musculoskeletal pain at follow-up and identification of any baseline characteristics that were associated with this outcome (prognostic factors). No secondary outcomes were declared.

METHOD

Two reviewers independently screened abstracts and titles. We included prospective cohort studies investigating the prognosis or treatment effect modifiers of 0-year-old to 19-year-old children and adolescents with self-reported musculoskeletal pain. Risk of bias assessment was conducted with the Quality in Prognostic Studies tool.

RESULTS

Twenty-six studies yielding a total of 111 unique prognostic factors were included. Female sex and psychological symptoms were the most frequent investigated prognostic factors. Increasing age, generalised pain, longer pain duration and smoking were other identified prognostic factors. No treatment effect modifiers were identified.

CONCLUSION

Several prognostic factors are associated with a poor prognosis in children and adolescents with musculoskeletal pain. These prognostic factors may help guide clinical practice and shared decision-making. None of the included studies was conducted within a general practice setting which highlights an area in need of research.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42016041378.

Physical therapists' experiences of learning and delivering a complex behavioral medicine intervention to adolescents with pain

The objective was to study physical therapists' (PTs') experiences of learning and delivering a complex intervention, a tailored behavioral medicine treatment (BMT) targeting adolescents with pain in primary care.Method: An explorative study with qualitative approach, using content analysis. Three primary care PTs delivering the treatments in a randomized controlled study were interviewed regarding their views on the BMT.Results: The participating PTs considered learning about and delivering the BMT as challenging but rewarding. The biopsychosocial approach, tailoring of the treatment and dialogues with parents were identified as key aspects of the BMT program. The process of formulating a functional behavioral analysis was perceived as strenuous. The supervision of the PTs throughout the study was regarded as crucial and necessary for learning about and providing tailored BMT.Conclusion: Learning about and delivering BMT targeting adolescents with persistent pain is fruitful but laborious and demanding according to three PTs experienced with treatment of pediatric pain in primary care. Extensive education and long periods of supervision seem to be crucial for success and safe delivery according to protocol.

Five-year prognosis and impact of adolescent knee pain: a prospective population-based cohort study of 504 adolescents in Denmark

OBJECTIVES

Investigate the prognosis of adolescent knee pain, and evaluate its impact on health, care-seeking and career choices 5 years later.

DESIGN

Pre-registered, prospective cohort study.

SETTING

Population-based cohort initiated in school setting.

PARTICIPANTS

From a cohort of 2200 adolescents aged 15-19 years in 2011, 504 reported knee pain on at least a monthly basis, and were followed prospectively in this cohort study, together with 252 controls who did not have knee pain in 2011.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Outcomes included the Pain and Symptoms subscales from the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), pain intensity measured with a Numeric Rating Scale, pain frequency, knee-related and health-related quality of life, sports participation, physical activity level, KOOS subscales: Function and Sport/recreation, quality of sleep, healthcare consultations, treatments received for their knee pain, the use of painkillers and impact on choice of job or career.

RESULTS

At follow-up, 358 (71.0%) from the knee pain group and 182 (72.2%) from the control group responded. Of note, 40.5% (95% CI: 35.4% to 45.6%) from the knee pain group reported knee pain 5 years later which was frequent and intense compared with 13.2% (95% CI: 8.2 to 18.1) of the control group. Those from the knee pain group still suffering from knee pain reported poorer physical health (13 points worse on KOOS Function and 30 points worse on KOOS Sport/recreation), stopped or reduced their sports participation because of knee pain (60%), reported worse sleep quality and worse knee-related and general quality of life. In terms of health behaviours, those still with knee pain reported more healthcare consultations. One-third used pain killers regularly, and 15% (95% CI: 12% to 20%) reported that knee pain influenced their choice of job or career.

CONCLUSION

Four out of every 10 adolescents with knee pain still experienced frequent and intense knee pain 5 years later, severe enough to impact health, health behaviours and career choices.

TRAIL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT02873143.

Special considerations in conducting clinical trials of chronic pain management interventions in children and adolescents and their families

INTRODUCTION

Disabling chronic pain is a common experience for children and adolescents. However, the evidence base for chronic pain interventions for youth is extremely limited, which has hindered the development of evidence-based practice guidelines for most pediatric chronic pain conditions.

OBJECTIVES

To review and provide recommendations on clinical trial design and evaluation in children and adolescents with chronic pain.

METHODS

In this article, we summarize key issues and provide recommendations for addressing them in clinical trials of chronic pain interventions in children and adolescents and their families.

RESULTS

To stimulate high-quality trials of pediatric chronic pain management interventions, attention to key issues including sample characterization, trial design and treatment administration, outcome measurement, and the ethics of intervening with children and adolescents, as opposed to adults with chronic pain, is needed.

CONCLUSION

Future research to develop interventions to reduce or prevent childhood chronic pain is an important priority area, and requires special considerations in implementation and evaluation in clinical trials.

Prevalence of self-reported musculoskeletal pain symptoms among school-age adolescents: age and sex differences

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Non-specific musculoskeletal pain symptoms are common in adolescents and may differ between the sexes, and be related to age and daily activities. It is critical to examine the prevalence and frequency of symptoms in adolescent students who tend to have pain which interferes with their routine activities. This study aimed to explore the prevalence and frequency of self-reported musculoskeletal pain symptoms by age and sex, and we also examined the association of symptoms with routine activities of school-age adolescents by area of pain.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among Thai students aged 10-19 years. All 2,750 students were asked to report previous 7-day and/or 12-month pain using the Standardized Nordic Questionnaire (Thai version) in 10 body areas. Multivariable logistic regression adjusted for age and sex was used to analyze the association between daily activity and musculoskeletal pain symptoms.

RESULTS

A total of 76.1% (n=2,093) of students reported experiencing pain in the previous 7 days, 73.0% (n=2,007) reported in the previous 12-month period and 83.8% (n=2,304) reported pain in both 7-day and 12-month periods. The most common pain area was from a headache, with other areas being neck and shoulders, in that order, for both periods of time. The prevalence of musculoskeletal pain was especially higher in older groups and females. Participants reported frequency of pain as "sometimes in different areas" ranging from 78.4% to 88% and severity of pain at 3.82±2.06 out of 10 (95% CI 3.74-3.91). Routine daily activities associated with symptoms of headache, neck, shoulders, and ankles or feet pain were computer use (head, OR=2.22), school bag carrying (neck, OR=2.05), school bag carrying (shoulder, OR=3.09), and playing sports (ankle or foot, OR=2.68).

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of musculoskeletal pain symptoms was high in both the previous 7-day and 12-month periods, especially in females and older adolescents, although most of them sometimes experienced pain. Computer use and school bag carrying were associated with headache, neck and shoulder pain, while playing sports was related to symptoms of the foot and ankle.

IMPLICATIONS

The prevalence of pain was high, particularly in the older and female groups. Although they experienced mild symptoms sometimes, the related daily activities leading to these symptoms should be closely noticed.

The association between psychological and social factors and spinal pain in adolescents

Spinal pain, back pain, and/or neck pain begins early in life and is strongly associated with spinal pain in adulthood. Understanding the relationship between psychological and social factors and adolescent spinal pain may be important in both the prevention and treatment of spinal pain in this age group. We aimed to determine if psychological and social factors were associated with spinal pain in a cross-sectional study of a school-based cohort of 1279 Danish adolescents aged 11-13, who were categorized into "any" and "substantial" spinal pain. "Substantial spinal pain" was defined as a lifetime frequency of "sometimes" or "often" and a pain intensity of at least two on the revised Faces Pain Scale. Logistic regression analyses, stratified by sex, were conducted for single and all variables together. Eighty-six percent of participants reported "any spinal pain" and 28% reported "substantial spinal pain". Frequency of psychological and social factors was significantly higher in those with spinal pain compared to those without. As the frequency of psychological and social factors increased, the odds of both "any spinal pain" and "substantial spinal pain" also increased.Conclusion: Psychological and social factors may be important determinants in adolescent spinal pain. What is Known: • Spinal pain begins early in life to reach adult levels by age 18. Spinal pain in adolescence is strongly associated with spinal pain in adulthood. • In adults, psychological and social factors and spinal pain are strongly related; however, this relationship in adolescence is poorly understood. What is New: • Adolescents with spinal pain reported a significantly higher frequency of psychological factors and loneliness and lower levels of pupil acceptance. • Adolescents reporting higher levels of loneliness, lower levels of pupil acceptance, and increased frequency of psychological factors had increased odds of reporting "substantial spinal pain".

Early workplace dialogue in physiotherapy practice improved work ability at 1-year follow-up-WorkUp, a randomised controlled trial in primary care

Workplace involvement in rehabilitation for patients with musculoskeletal pain may improve work ability. Convergence Dialogue Meeting (CDM) is a model aimed at helping the patient, the care giver, and the employer to support work ability and return-to-work. Our aim was to study the effect on work ability when adding a workplace dialogue according to CDM in physiotherapy practice for patients with pain in ordinary primary care. We conducted a prospective pairwise cluster randomised controlled trial (ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT02609750) in primary care involving 20 primary care rehabilitation units with 1-year follow-up. Adult patients with acute/subacute neck and back pain, worked ≥4 weeks past year and not currently on sick leave or no more than 60 days of sick leave and considered at-risk of sick leave were included (n = 352). All patients received structured physiotherapy and the intervention was the addition of CDM, delivered by the treating physiotherapist. The main confirmatory outcome, work ability (defined as working at least 4 consecutive weeks at follow-up), was assessed by a weekly short text message question on number of sick leave days past week. Work ability was reached by significantly more patients in the intervention group (108/127, 85%) compared with the reference group (127/171, 74%) (P = 0.02). The intervention increased the odds of having work ability at 1-year follow-up, also after adjustment for baseline health-related quality of life (odds ratio 1.85, confidence interval 1.01-3.38). We conclude that an early workplace dialogue in addition to structured physiotherapy improved work ability significantly.

Epidemiology of spinal pain in children: a study within the Danish National Birth Cohort

This study aims to describe the prevalence of spinal pain among Danish children, explore the differential nature of spinal pain, and investigate socio-demographic factors predisposing spinal pain. A descriptive study of 46,726 11-14-year-olds participating in the Danish National Birth Cohort was conducted. Self-reported spinal pain (neck, middle back, and low back pain) was registered and classified according to severity. Socioeconomic data on children and their parents were identified in Statistics Denmark registers. Associations between socio-demographic factors and aspects of spinal pain were estimated using multinomial logistic regression models. To account for sample selection, inverse probability weighting (IPW) was applied. Almost 10% boys and 14% girls reported severe spinal pain, whereas around 30% of all children reported moderate pain. Effect estimates indicated the risk to increase with increasing age. Further, children without biological full siblings, not living with both of their parents, or children living in less-educated or lower-income families were more likely to experience spinal pain. The study conclusions were essentially unaffected by IPW.Conclusion: A considerable number of children suffer from spinal pain, and it is more common among children in more disadvantaged families. Etiology of spinal pain needs to be explored further with the aim of informing efficient and targeted prevention. What is Known: • Childhood spinal pain may cause marked discomfort and impairment in children's everyday life, and is suggested as important predictor of later-in-life spinal pain. • Methodological heterogeneity in previous studies and complexity of measuring pain make inferences at a broader level inadequate. What is New: • Prevalence of severe spinal pain in 11-14-year-olds was estimated to almost 10% for boys and 14% for girls, and children in more disadvantaged families were more likely to experience spinal pain. • The results seemed unaffected by sample selection.

Musculoskeletal pain and musculoskeletal syndromes in adolescents are related to electronic devices

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate television and simultaneous electronic devices use in adolescents with musculoskeletal pain and musculoskeletal pain syndromes.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was performed in 299 healthy adolescents of a private school. All students completed a self-administered questionnaire, including: demographic data, physical activities, musculoskeletal pain symptoms, and use of simultaneous television/electronic devices (computer, internet, electronic games, and cell phones). Seven musculoskeletal pain syndromes were also evaluated: juvenile fibromyalgia, benign joint hypermobility syndrome, myofascial syndrome, tendinitis, bursitis, epicondylitis, and complex regional pain syndrome.

RESULTS

Inter-rater agreement between pretest and retest was 0.83. Musculoskeletal pain and musculoskeletal pain syndrome were found in 183/299 (61%) and 60/183 (33%), respectively. The median age (15 [10-18] vs. 14 [10-18] years, p=0.032) and years of education (10 [5-12] vs. 9 [5-12] years, p=0.011) were significantly higher in adolescents with musculoskeletal pain when compared with those without this condition. The frequencies of female gender (59% vs. 47%, p=0.019), cell phone use (93% vs. 81%, p=0.003), and simultaneous use of at least two electronic devices (80% vs. 67%, p=0.011) were significantly higher in the former group. Further comparisons between adolescents with and without musculoskeletal pain syndromes revealed that the frequency of female gender was significantly higher in the former group (75% vs. 25%, p=0.002), and with a significantly reduced median of weekends/holidays electronic games use (1.5 [0-10] vs. 3 [0-17]h/day, p=0.006).

CONCLUSIONS

A high prevalence of musculoskeletal pain/syndromes was observed in female adolescents. Musculoskeletal pain was mostly reported at a median age of 15 years, and students used at least two electronic devices. Reduced use of electronic games was associated with musculoskeletal pain syndromes.

Serum VEGF Level Is Different in Adolescents Smoking Waterpipe versus Cigarettes: The Irbid TRY

Waterpipe (Wp) use is associated with most devastating diseases and particularly popular among adolescents. Vascular endothelium growth factor (VEGF) is essential for generating new vessels. The effect of smoking tobacco on VEGF is controversial and unknown among adolescents. Therefore, the current study compared serum VEGF in adolescents smoking cigarettes (Cg) only (9.3%), Wp only (19.6%), and dual (Wp and Cg) (36.4%) versus nonsmokers (34.6%) in adolescents. A self-reported questionnaire and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were used to obtain smoking status and serum VEGF, respectively, in 475 (age: 14.6 ± 1.0 years) boys (n = 263) and girls (n = 212) from Irbid, Jordan. The analysis showed that smoking status (R² = 0.021; p = 0.001) and gender (R² = 0.035; p = 0.000) can predict VEGF. Furthermore, 2-way-ANCOVA revealed that VEGF was lower in the dual cohort versus the Cg (33.4%; p = 0.04) and nonsmoker (29.6%; p = 0.003) cohorts; VEGF in smokers, was lower (33.6%; p = 0.04) in the Wp versus nonsmokers in the boys but not the girls. These results are unique and suggest that smoking lowers VEGF, which might adversely affect vascular growth and function. This is alarming given that adolescents are still in the development stage and smoking, particularly Wp, is popular among them. Therefore, interventions targeting smoking among schoolchildren are urgently needed to avoid the negative effects of smoking, especially on vascular health.

Prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders and its relation to depression among workers in kindergarten

BACKGROUND

Working in a closed environment for more than 7-8 hours can affect both psychological and physical health among kindergarten workers.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) and depression as well as the correlation between them, if any, among kindergarten workers.

METHODS

In a cross-sectional observation, one hundred and five healthy female staff members (age: 34.27±7.01 year, working duration: 7.42±0.81 hr/d, BMI: 24.50±2.61 kg/m2 (mean±SD)), who have had at least one year of working experience, were selected randomly from 10 kindergartens. The subjects completed both the Cornell musculoskeletal and Patient Health (PHQ-9) questionnaires to enable the assessments of MSD and depression scores accordingly. The correlation between both questionnaires was then measured to find any links. To assess the reliability of Farsi-language versions of the Cornell questionnaire and PHQ-9, the Inter-class Correlation Co-efficient (ICC) was measured through test-retest with 1-week delay and the prevalence of MSD and depression were subsequently assessed as well.

RESULTS

The Inter-class Correlation Co-efficient (ICC) illustrated that the Farsi version of MSD instruments showed high levels of repeatability. The ICC coefficient was (0.932-0.987, p < 0.001) for the Cornell questionnaire and the Cronbach alpha for PHQ-9 questionnaire was 0.861. The highest severity of pain was related to lower back (30.5%), and after it, neck (27.6%), right shoulder (27.6%) and left shoulder (25.7%) pain, respectively. The results of PHQ-9 questionnaire indicated that 41.9% (n = 44) of subjects had a severe depression. There was a significant (r = 0.338, p < 0.01) relation between depression and MSD.

CONCLUSIONS

Prevalence of depression and severity of physical pain was an issue among staff in kindergartens. More study will be needed to define all aspects of this issue.

Child and adolescent musculoskeletal pain (CAM-Pain) feasibility study: testing a method of identifying, recruiting and collecting data from children and adolescents who consult about a musculoskeletal condition in UK general practice

OBJECTIVES

Test a method of identifying, recruiting and collecting data from children and adolescents who consult their general practitioner about a musculoskeletal condition.

DESIGN

Prospective cohort feasibility study.

SETTING

13 general practices in West Midlands of England.

PARTICIPANTS

Patients aged 8-19 years who consult their general practice about a musculoskeletal condition. Patients were identified via a relevant musculoskeletal Read code entered at the point of consultation.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Feasibility was assessed in terms of study processes (recruitment rates), data collection procedures (duration, response variability), resource utilisation (mail-outs) and ethical considerations (acceptability).

RESULTS

From October 2016 to February 2017, an eligible musculoskeletal Read code was entered on 343 occasions, 202 patients were excluded (declined, n=153; screened not suitable, n=49) at the point of consultation. The remaining 141 patients were mailed an invitation to participate (41.1%); 46 patients responded to the invitation (response rate: 32.6%), of which 27 patients consented (consent rate: 19.1%). Participants mean age was 13.7 years (SD 2.7) and current pain intensity was 2.8 (SD 2.7). All participants completed the 6-week follow-up questionnaire. All participants found the interview questions to be acceptable and would consider participating in a similar study in the future. The majority of general practitioners/nurse practitioners, and all of the research nurses reported to be adequately informed about the study and found the study processes acceptable.

CONCLUSION

The expected number of participants were identified and invited, but consent rate was low (<20%) indicating that this method is not feasible (eg, for use in a large prospective study). Recruiting children and adolescents with musculoskeletal conditions in a primary care setting currently presents a challenge for researchers. Further work is needed to identify alternative ways to conduct studies in this population in order to address the current knowledge gap in this field.

Chronic pain prevalence and associated factors in adolescents with and without physical disabilities

AIM

Adolescents with physical disabilities may have co-occurring chronic pain, but the prevalence and specific associated factors are unknown. The aims of this study were to determine (1) the prevalence of chronic pain in adolescents with physical disabilities and (2) whether known correlates of chronic pain in the general population are also present in young people both with physical disability and with chronic pain relative to peers.

METHOD

We conducted a secondary analysis of cross-sectional nationally representative data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. Multivariate linear regression analysis was used to identify demographic and psychosocial factors associated with chronic pain.

RESULTS

A total of 989 (4.3%) adolescents reported physical disabilities. They had a significantly higher rate of pain (27.2%) compared with able-bodied peers (15.6%, χ² =86.3550, p<0.001). There was no significant interaction between physical disability status and chronic pain in relation to depressive symptoms, anxiety, or insomnia.

INTERPRETATION

Adolescents with physical disabilities experience chronic pain at a significantly higher rate than able-bodied peers, but the comorbidity of physical disability and chronic pain is not related to depression, anxiety, or insomnia. Evaluation of chronic pain and tailored pain interventions need to be developed for this population.

WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS

Chronic pain and its correlates are important problems for adolescents with physical disabilities. These adolescents present with higher rates of chronic pain than other young people. Chronic pain is associated with increased levels of depressive symptoms, anxiety, and insomnia regardless of disability status.

Medication use among pediatric patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain syndromes at initial pain clinic evaluation

AIM

To characterize medication use by adolescents with chronic musculoskeletal pain syndromes before an initial multidisciplinary clinic visit.

PATIENTS & METHODS

A cross-sectional sample of 120 adolescents and parents reported on standardized assessment measures, with medication use data extracted from the medical chart and categorized.

RESULTS

On average, 3.2 medications were reported; 70% used more than one pain-specific medication including opioids (17%), nonopioids (31%), psychotropics/neuropathics (45%) and other medications (13%). Adolescents with complex regional pain syndrome consistently reported greatest use of opioid, psychotropic/neuropathic and other pain medications. A regression model explained 17% of the variance in pain medication use. Nonpain medication use and disability contributed unique variance - pain duration and intensity did not.

CONCLUSION

Greater attention to factors contributing to prescriptive practices, medication use and long-term outcomes is warranted.

Are Sleep Problems a Risk Factor for the Onset of Musculoskeletal Pain in Children and Adolescents? A Systematic Review

Study Objectives

Musculoskeletal pain is a major burden on the society. Adults with sleep problems are at higher risk of musculoskeletal pain onset, but there is no evidence for this relationship in children and adolescents. This study aimed to systematically review prospective studies on the risk of musculoskeletal pain onset in children and adolescents with sleep problems.

Methods

Five databases (MEDLINE, PsycINFO, AMED, EMBASE, and HMIC) were systematically searched to identify prospective studies that investigated if children and adolescents (aged 6-19 years) with sleep problems are at higher risk of musculoskeletal pain onset. Included studies were assessed for study quality and a best evidence synthesis was carried out on extracted data.

Results

Thirteen prospective studies were identified. Overall, evidence indicates that sleep problems (quality, quantity, and day time tiredness) are not risk factors for musculoskeletal pain onset. Further analysis on specific body regions shows strong evidence that sleep problems are a risk factor for neck pain onset (only in girls) and that sleep problems are not a risk factor for the onset of widespread pain.

Conclusions

Overall, sleep problems are not a risk factor for musculoskeletal pain onset in children and adolescents. Increased risk was found for some specific body regions and subgroups, but the evidence base was less strong and generally inconsistent. This review found a lack of quality in research methodology compared to research in adults, and further research with improved methodology is required.

Does Motor Development in Infancy Predict Spinal Pain in Later Childhood? A Cohort Study

Study Design Longitudinal cohort study. Background Spinal pain is responsible for a huge personal and societal burden, but its etiology remains unclear. Deficits in motor control have been associated with spinal pain in adults, and delayed motor development is associated with a range of health problems and risks in children. Objective To assess whether there is an independent relationship between the age at which infants first sit and walk without support and spinal pain at 11 years of age. Methods Data from the Danish National Birth Cohort were analyzed, using the age at which children first sat and first walked without support as predictors. Parents reported the predictors when the children were 6 months and 18 months of age, and also provided information in response to a comprehensive list of covariates, including child sex, birth weight, and cognitive development; socioeconomic indicators; and parental health variables. Outcomes were measured at 11 years of age using the Young Spine Questionnaire, which assesses the presence and intensity of spinal pain. Data were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression models to estimate determinants of neck, thoracic, lumbar, and multisite pain. Results The analyses included data from approximately 23 000 children and their parents. There were no consistent independent associations between the age at first sitting or walking and spinal pain at the age of 11. Odds ratios were between 0.95 and 1.00 for the various pain sites. Conclusion The age at which a child first sits or walks without support does not influence the likelihood that he or she will experience spinal pain in later childhood. Level of Evidence Prognosis, level 4. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2017;47(10):763-768. doi:10.2519/jospt.2017.7484.

Musculoskeletal Pain in Children and Adolescents: A Way Forward

There are substantial gaps in our understanding of musculoskeletal pain in children and adolescents. While there are challenges to performing research in this space, the prevalence, burden, and lack of available evidence to inform clinical practice mean that overcoming these challenges is important. The editors see the collection of work in this special issue as a step in the right direction. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2017;47(10):702-704. doi:10.2519/jospt.2017.0109.

Wilson A, M. Palermo T. Predictors of the transition from acute to persistent musculoskeletal pain in children and adolescents: a prospective study

Strategies directed at the prevention of disabling pain have been suggested as a public health priority, making early identification of youth at risk for poor outcomes critical. At present, limited information is available to predict which youth presenting with acute pain are at risk for persistence. The aims of this prospective longitudinal study were to identify biopsychosocial factors in the acute period that predict the transition to persistent pain in youth with new-onset musculoskeletal (MSK) pain complaints. Participants were 88 children and adolescents (age 10-17 years) presenting to the emergency department (n = 47) or orthopedic clinic (n = 41) for evaluation of a new MSK pain complaint (<1 month duration). Youth presented for 2 study visits (T1≤1 month post pain onset; T2= 4-month follow-up) during which they completed questionnaires (assessing pain characteristics, psychological factors, sleep quality) and participated in a laboratory task assessing conditioned pain modulation. Regression analyses tested T1 predictors of longitudinal pain outcomes (pain persistence, pain-related disability, quality of life [QOL]). Results revealed approximately 35% of youth had persistent pain at 4-month follow-up, with persistent pain predicted by poorer conditioned pain modulation and female sex. Higher depressive symptoms at T1 were associated with higher painrelated disability and poorer QOL at T2. Findings highlight the roles of depressive symptoms and pain modulation in longitudinally predicting pain persistence in treatment-seeking youth with acute MSK pain and suggest potential mechanisms in the transition from acute to chronic MSK pain in children and adolescents.

Predictors of the transition from acute to persistent musculoskeletal pain in children and adolescents: a prospective study

Strategies directed at the prevention of disabling pain have been suggested as a public health priority, making early identification of youth at risk for poor outcomes critical. At present, limited information is available to predict which youth presenting with acute pain are at risk for persistence. The aims of this prospective longitudinal study were to identify biopsychosocial factors in the acute period that predict the transition to persistent pain in youth with new-onset musculoskeletal (MSK) pain complaints. Participants were 88 children and adolescents (age 10-17 years) presenting to the emergency department (n = 47) or orthopedic clinic (n = 41) for evaluation of a new MSK pain complaint (<1 month duration). Youth presented for 2 study visits (T1 ≤1 month post pain onset; T2 = 4-month follow-up) during which they completed questionnaires (assessing pain characteristics, psychological factors, sleep quality) and participated in a laboratory task assessing conditioned pain modulation. Regression analyses tested T1 predictors of longitudinal pain outcomes (pain persistence, pain-related disability, quality of life [QOL]). Results revealed approximately 35% of youth had persistent pain at 4-month follow-up, with persistent pain predicted by poorer conditioned pain modulation and female sex. Higher depressive symptoms at T1 were associated with higher pain-related disability and poorer QOL at T2. Findings highlight the roles of depressive symptoms and pain modulation in longitudinally predicting pain persistence in treatment-seeking youth with acute MSK pain and suggest potential mechanisms in the transition from acute to chronic MSK pain in children and adolescents.

Systematic review of childhood and adolescent risk and prognostic factors for persistent abdominal pain

This review aimed to identify childhood and adolescence risk and prognostic factors associated with onset and persistence of persistent abdominal pain and related disability and assess quality of the evidence. While findings suggest a possible role for negative emotional symptoms and parental mental health as risk and prognostic factors for onset and persistence of persistent abdominal pain, the evidence is of poor quality overall and nonexistent when it comes to prognostic factors associated with disability.

CONCLUSION

Further research is needed to increase confidence in existing evidence and to explore new factors. This research will inform prevention.