Pain-related and Psychological Symptoms in Adolescents With Musculoskeletal and Sleep Problems

Overview

Journal Clin J Pain

Specialties Neurology
Psychiatry

Date 2015 May 15

PMID 25974623

Citations 11

Authors

Lee Harrison

Sue Wilson

Marcus R Munafo

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objectives: Two-thirds of adolescents with chronic musculoskeletal pain report a concurrent sleep problem. Both musculoskeletal pain and sleep problems can have deleterious effects on physiological and psychological well-being. We explored the prevalence of sleep problems and musculoskeletal pain, using data on 3568 adolescents from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Children.

Materials And Methods: A comprehensive battery of questionnaires was administered to derive clinical phenotypes of musculoskeletal pain. Adolescents with single symptoms were compared with those reporting both musculoskeletal pain and sleep problems. Linear and logistic regression analyses were used to compare groups on pain-related variables and psychological complaints. The association between sociodemographic variables and comorbid musculoskeletal pain and sleep problems was assessed using logistic regression.

Results: Over half the sample was female (n=2076, 58.2%) and the majority of European ancestry (n=3174, 97.7%). Only 5.5% (n=196) of participants were identified as having a pain condition, while 21.2% (n=749) reported a significant sleep problem, and 2.8% (n=99) reported comorbid musculoskeletal pain and sleep problems. Adolescents with comorbid problems experienced greater pain intensity and pain-related anxiety. Other psychological complaints were also higher in those who experienced concurrent problems, including depression, fatigue, concentration, and overall severity of psychological symptoms.

Discussion: Comorbid sleep and pain problems were associated with a higher incidence of pain-related and psychological symptoms. Sleep problems may therefore be an important modifiable risk factor for alleviating distress in adolescents with musculoskeletal pain.

Citing Articles

The prevalence of chronic pain in children and adolescents: a systematic review update and meta-analysis.

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A systematic review of the biopsychosocial dimensions affected by chronic pain in children and adolescents: identifying reliable and valid pediatric multidimensional chronic pain assessment tools.

Greenough M, Jibb L, Lewis K, Bucknall T, Lamontagne C, Demery Varin M Pain Rep. 2023; 8(6):e1099.

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Associations of Co-occurring Symptom Trajectories With Sex, Race, Ethnicity, and Health Care Utilization in Children.

Voepel-Lewis T, Senger-Carpenter T, Chen B, Seng J, Cofield C, Ploutz-Snyder R JAMA Netw Open. 2023; 6(5):e2314135.

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Nelson S, Burns M, McEwen B, Borsook D Brain Behav Immun Health. 2021; 5:100095.

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Nelson S, Borsook D, Bosquet Enlow M Pain Rep. 2021; 6(3):e953.

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