Association between Relative Handgrip Strength and Chronic Lower Back Pain: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Analysis of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Association of Muscle Strength, Psychological Factors, and Central Sensitization With Movement-Evoked Pain in Patients With Nonspecific Chronic Low Back Pain: The BACKFIT Project

BACKGROUND

People with chronic pain might evade certain movements to prevent their experience of pain. Movement-evoked pain (MEP) might induce lower functionality during daily activities.

HYPOTHESIS

(1) MEP after physical fitness tests would vary depending on the main musculature involved in the test; (2) physical and psychological factors would be associated with MEP in patients with NSCLBP.

STUDY DESIGN

Cross-sectional design.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level 3.

METHODS

A total of 104 (69 women) patients aged 51.0 ± 10.3 years with NSCLBP participated. MEP was measured with a visual analog scale (VAS) at baseline and immediately after performing each physical fitness test, that is, the Biering-Sørensen, prone bridging, handgrip, chair-stand, and 8-foot time-up-and-go tests, measuring back extensor, back flexor, upper- and lower-body muscle strength, and motor agility, respectively. Global muscle strength was calculated with normalized index (z-score) procedure. Depression, anxiety, pain catastrophizing, and central sensitization were assessed with the Beck Depression Inventory II, State Trait Anxiety Inventory I, Pain Catastrophizing Scale, and Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI), respectively.

RESULTS

Patients showed greater pain after completion of the Biering-Sørensen (mean difference 95% CI, 0.02, 1.11), prone bridging (0.15, 1.21), lower pain after handgrip (-1.46, -0.52), and the 8-foot time-up-and-go (-1.43, 0.46) tests (all P ≤ 0.04). Lower global muscular strength (β between -0.18 and -0.30), and greater pain catastrophizing (β = 0.16), and CSI scoring (β between 0.18 and 0.27) were associated with greater MEP (all P ≤ 0.04).

CONCLUSION

Greater MEP was observed after tests measuring core musculature strength than after tests measuring distal (limbs) strength and agility. Greater MEP was overall associated with lower muscle strength, greater pain catastrophizing, and central sensitization.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Fitness testing might be implemented as a complementary tool for the monitoring of NSCLBP in clinical settings.

Physical health in young males and risk of chronic musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and respiratory diseases by middle age: A population-based cohort study

BACKGROUND

Cardiovascular, respiratory, and musculoskeletal disease are among the leading causes of disability in middle-aged and older people. Health and lifestyle factors in youth have known associations with cardiovascular or respiratory disease in adulthood, but largely unknown associations with musculoskeletal disease.

METHODS AND FINDINGS

We included approximately 40,000 18-year-old Swedish males, who completed their conscription examination in 1969 to 1970, followed up until age of 60 years. Exposures of interest were physical health: body mass and height, blood pressure, pulse at rest, muscle strength, cardiorespiratory fitness, and hematocrit; self-reported lifestyle: smoking, alcohol, and drug use; self-reported health: overall, headache and gastrointestinal. We followed the participants through the Swedish National Patient Register for incidence of common musculoskeletal (osteoarthritis, back pain, shoulder lesions, joint pain, myalgia), cardiovascular (ischemic heart disease, atrial fibrillation), and respiratory diseases (asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchitis). We analyzed the associations using general estimating equations Poisson regression with all exposures included in one model and adjusted for parental education and occupation. We found that higher body mass was associated with higher risk of musculoskeletal (risk ratio [RR] per 1 standard deviation [SD] 1.12 [95% confidence interval, CI 1.09, 1.16]), cardiovascular (RR 1.22 [95% CI 1.17, 1.27] per 1 SD) and respiratory diseases (RR 1.14 [95% CI 1.05, 1.23] per 1 SD). Notably, higher muscle strength and cardiorespiratory fitness were associated with higher risk of musculoskeletal disease (RRs 1.08 [95% CI 1.05, 1.11] and 1.06 [95% CI 1.01, 1.12] per 1 SD difference in exposure), while higher cardiorespiratory fitness was protective against both cardiovascular and respiratory diseases (RRs 0.91 [95% CI 0.85, 0.98] and 0.85 [95% CI 0.73, 0.97] per 1 SD exposure, respectively). We confirmed the adverse effects of smoking, with risk ratios when comparing 11+ cigarettes per day to non-smoking of 1.14 (95% CI 1.06, 1.22) for musculoskeletal, 1.58 (95% CI 1.44, 1.74) for cardiovascular, and 1.93 (95% CI 1.60, 2.32) for respiratory diseases. Self-reported headache (category "often" compared to "never") was associated with musculoskeletal diseases (RR 1.38 [95% CI 1.21, 1.58]) and cardiovascular diseases (RR 1.29 [95% CI 1.07, 1.56]), but had an inconclusive association with respiratory diseases (RR 1.13 [95% CI 0.79, 1.60]). No large consistent associations were found for other exposures. The most notable associations with specific musculoskeletal conditions were for cardiorespiratory fitness and osteoarthritis (RR 1.23 [95% CI 1.15, 1.32] per 1 SD) and for muscle strength and back pain (RR 1.18 [95% CI 1.12, 1.24] per 1 SD) or shoulder diseases (RR 1.27 [95% CI 1.19, 1.36] per 1 SD). The main limitations include lack of adjustment for genetic factors and environmental exposures from childhood, and that the register data were available for males only.

CONCLUSIONS

While high body mass was a risk factor for all 3 studied groups of diseases, high cardiorespiratory fitness and high muscle strength in youth were associated with increased risk of musculoskeletal disease in middle age. We speculate that these associations are mediated by chronic overload or acute trauma.

Association between preoperative lumbar skeletal muscle index and postoperative nausea and vomiting in patients undergoing pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy: a retrospective study

BACKGROUND

Sarcopenia is associated with postoperative complications; however, its impact on the quality of postoperative recovery, such as postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) and pain, remains unclear. We investigated the association of preoperative lumbar skeletal muscle mass index (LSMI) with PONV, postoperative pain, and complications.

METHODS

Medical records of 756 patients who underwent pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy (PPPD) were retrospectively reviewed. The skeletal muscle areas were measured on abdominal computed tomography (CT) images. LSMI was calculated by dividing the skeletal muscle area by the square of the patient's height. We analyzed the correlations between preoperative LSMI calibrated with confounding variables and PONV scores, PONV occurrence, pain scores, rescue analgesic administration, postoperative complications, and length of hospital stay.

RESULTS

The median (1Q, 3Q) LSMI was 47.72 (40.74, 53.41) cm2/m2. The incidence rates of PONV according to time period were as follows: post-anesthesia care unit, 42/756 (5.6%); 0-6 h, 54/756 (7.1%); 6-24 h, 120/756 (15.9%); 24-48 h, 46/756 (6.1%); and overall, 234/756 (31.0%). The incidence of PONV was inversely correlated with LSMI 24-48 h post-surgery and overall. LSMI and PONV scores were negatively associated 6-24 h and 24-48 h post-surgery. There was no association between LSMI and postoperative pain scores, rescue analgesic administration, complications, or length of hospital stay.

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative LSMI was associated with PONV in patients undergoing PPPD. Therefore, LSMI measured on preoperative abdominal CT can be a predictive indicator of PONV. Appropriate PONV prophylaxis is necessary in patients with low LSMI before PPPD.

Physical activity level and physical fitness in subjects with chronic musculoskeletal pain: a cross-sectional study

Background

Low physical activity (PA) levels and low physical fitness (PF) have been reported in subjects with temporality-based chronic pain; however, it is unknown whether there are differences in subjects with nociplastic pain (NP) compared with subjects with non-nociplastic pain (NNP).

Objective

The aim was to compare the levels of PA and PF in patients with chronic, nociplastic, and non-nociplastic musculoskeletal pain.

Methods

This is an analytical, cross-sectional study. The sample comprised 30 patients receiving ambulatory physiotherapy treatment. Pain was classified as NP or NNP according to the International Association for the Study of Pain categorization system. The PA level was measured with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form, and the PF level was measured with the hand grip strength test (HGS) to assess upper limb strength, the five Repetition Sit-to-Stand Test (5R-SRTS) to assess lower limb strength and power, and the YMCA 3 Min Step Test (YMCA-3MST) to estimate peak VO2. The results were compared with independent samples t-tests (with p < 0.05 considered significant). Cohen's d was calculated to determine the effect size.

Results

The NP group reported a significantly lower PA level than the NNP group, specifically the vigorous PA (p = 0.0009), moderate PA (p = 0.0002), and total PA (p = 0.005) dimensions. The NP group also showed significantly lower 5R-STS (p = 0.000) and HGS (p = 0.002) results compared with the NNP group. There were no significant differences in the YMCA-3MST between the NP and NNP groups (p = 0.635).

Conclusion

It is possible that the neurophysiological and neuromuscular changes related to NP are associated with a reduced ability to perform vigorous PA. Clinicians should identify the presence of NP comorbidities in conjunction with the diagnosis when establishing the therapeutic goals.

Association between muscle quality index and pulmonary function in post-COVID-19 subjects

BACKGROUND

The SARS-CoV2 pandemic impacted many critically ill patients, causing sequelae, affecting lung function, and involving the musculoskeletal system. We evaluated the association between lung function and muscle quality index in severely ill post-COVID-19 patients.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted on a post-COVID-19 cohort at a third-level center. The study included patients who had experienced severe-to-critical COVID-19. Anthropometric measurements, such as body mass index (BMI) and handgrip strength, were obtained to calculate the muscle quality index (MQI). Additionally, spirometry, measurements of expiratory and inspiratory pressure, and an assessment of DLCO in the lungs were performed. The MQI was categorized into two groups: low-MQI (below the 50th percentile) and high-MQI (above the 50th percentile), based on sex. Group differences were analyzed, and a multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to assess the association between respiratory function and MQI.

RESULTS

Among the 748 patients analyzed, 61.96% required mechanical ventilation, and the median hospital stay was 17 days. In patients with a low MQI, it was observed that both mechanical respiratory function and DLCO were lower. The multivariate analysis revealed significantly lower findings in mechanical respiratory function among patients with a low MQI.

CONCLUSION

The Low-MQI is an independent predictor associated with pulmonary function parameters in subjects with Post-COVID-19 syndrome.

Muscle Quality Index in Morbidly Obesity Patients Related to Metabolic Syndrome Markers and Cardiorespiratory Fitness

BACKGROUND

Muscle quality index (MQI) is an emerging health indicator obtained by dividing handgrip strength by body mass index (BMI) that needs to be studied in morbidly obese patients (defined by BMI ≥ 35 kg/m²).

OBJECTIVE

To determine the association between MQI, metabolic syndrome (MetS) markers, and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), and as a second objective to determine the potential mediation role of MQI in the relationship between abdominal obesity and systolic blood pressure (SBP) in this sample.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study included 86 severely/morbidly obese patients (age = 41.1 ± 11.9 y, nine men). MQI, metabolic syndrome markers, CRF, and anthropometric parameters were measured. Two groups were developed according to MQI; High-MQI (n = 41) and Low-MQI (n = 45).

RESULTS

The Low-MQI group reported higher abdominal obesity (High-MQI: 0.7 ± 0.1 vs. Low-MQI: 0.8 ± 0.1 WC/height; p = 0.011), SBP (High-MQI: 133.0 ± 17.5 vs. Low-MQI: 140.1 ± 15.1 mmHg; p = 0.048), and lower CRF (High-MQI; 26.3 ± 5.9 vs. Low-MQI; 22.4 ± 6.1 mL/kg/min, p = 0.003) than the High-MQI group. Waist-to-height ratio (β: -0.07, p = 0.011), SBP (β: -18.47, p = 0.001), and CRF (β: 5.21, p = 0.011) were linked to MQI. In a mediation model, the indirect effect confirms that MQI is a partial mediator of the association between abdominal obesity with SBP.

CONCLUSIONS

MQI in morbidly obesity patients reported an inverse association with MetS markers and a positive association with CRF (VO2_max). It mediates the relationship between abdominal obesity and SBP.

Association Between Low Back Pain, Workaholism, and Work Engagement in Japanese Hospital Workers: A Quantitative Cross-sectional Study

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to examine the association between two types of heavy work investment, workaholism and work engagement, and low back pain prevalence.

METHODS

We conducted a paper-based survey of Japanese hospital workers. The Dutch Workaholism Scale (DUWAS) and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) were used to classify the participants into four groups and perform multiple logistic regression analyses.

RESULTS

Among 699 participants, the group with low DUWAS and high UWES at 37.1% had the lowest low back pain prevalence. In order, the groups with low DUWAS and UWES were at 51.7%; those with high DUWAS and UWES, 58.5%; and those with high DUWAS and low UWES, 62.4%, with multivariate-adjusted odds ratios of 1.77, 2.01, and 2.33, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Low back pain prevalence among Japanese hospital workers was reduced by high levels of work engagement, even at high levels of workaholism.