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Chronic pain was found to
be constant in older adults with no difference in neuropathic and
non-neuropathic groups. The continuous pain did not alter the living style of
older adults.
A recent 1 year follow up study concluded that despite chronic pain, all the patients from the baseline continued to live independently at 1 year.
Chronic, mainly musculoskeletal pain is common among older adults. Limited data
is available that can explain the prognosis of chronic pain and the neuropathic
pain qualities in older adults. A cohort of community-dwelling older adults was
studied and their pain states were clinically assessed. Their type of pain was
also classified (nociceptive, neuropathic or combined) and followed them up for
a year.
At baseline, a geriatrician in collaboration with a pain specialist clinically
examined all study patients and classified their pain. Questionnaires (BPI,
GDS-15, BAI and SF-36) were used to evaluate pain, quality of life and mental
health and reassessed after 1 year.
Although chronic pain persisted still all patients from the baseline cohort continued to live independently at 1 year. A total of 92 out of 106 (87%) patients returned the follow-up questionnaire. The findings showed that nociceptive pain on its own was observed in 48 patients, whereas 44 patients also had neuropathic pain. About (96%) of patients had several pain states at baseline. 13 patients reported a new pain state at follow-up. On average, no significant changes in the pain intensity, pain interference, mood or quality of life in either group was seen between the baseline and follow-up. At the individual level changes in pain were observed, but both interference and intensity of pain at the follow-up had a negative correlation with the baseline value.
At the individual level, both exacerbation and relief of pain were observed,
which supported the concept that pain is not inevitable and unremitting among
older adults.
BMC Geriatr. 2017 Jul 19;17(1):152
A one-year follow-up study of chronic pain in community-dwelling older adults with and without neuropathic pain.
Rapo-Pylkkö S et al.
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