Arthritis pain is predicted by diabetes, previous joint pain and overall physical health – but not obesity

Diabetes, previous joint pain and a person’s overall physical health status may predict arthritis pain with nearly complete accuracy, experts report at the 2015 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
The team involved wanted to determine factors and patterns that contribute to pain for a national representative sample of 5,721 US adults with arthritis (average age was 60 years). They took into account over 1,000 factors such as health status, demographics, medical claims, laboratory tests, employment history, health insurance and medical expenditures.
The study found that pain levels were predicted by specific combinations of physical health, mental health and general health status, as well as diabetes, previous joint pain and education level. Physical health status was the greatest predictor of pain that limited work.
Surprisingly, the research did not find a link between arthritis pain and a body mass index (BMI) above 30kg/m² (the threshold for obesity).
“Our results indicate that physical health along with a number of conditions can significantly distinguish individuals with and without pain,” explains Dr Man Hung, who is involved in the work. “The algorithms generated in the study offer new insights into pain and should help in the development of cost-effective care management programs for those experiencing arthritis.”

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Image credit: Petras Gagilas