Widespread chronic pain more prevalent in women with ankylosing spondylitis and undifferentiated spondyloarthritis

People with ankylosing spondylitis and undifferentiated spondyloarthritis are enduring a high rate of widespread chronic pain, particularly women, experts report in BMC Rheumatology. But pain intensity between men and women do not differ.

A total of 570 individuals with ankylosing spondylitis and 370 people with undifferentiated spondyloarthritis completed questionnaires and were then categorised as having chronic widespread pain, chronic regional pain or no chronic pain.

Prevalence of chronic widespread pain was 45.3% among patients with ankylosing spondylitis and 49.3% for those with undifferentiated undifferentiated spondyloarthritis.

Among the volunteers, 54% of women and 41% of men had chronic widespread pain.

Pain intensity was equal between those with ankylosing spondylitis and undifferentiated spondyloarthritis and did not differ between men and women.

“The results highlight the importance of a thorough pain analysis included in the clinical examination, to identify patients with high and/or increasing pain levels and multiple pain regions,” the authors sugest. “It may also guide appropriate and individualized treatment decisions, including nonpharmacological and pharmacological treatment options.”

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