Journal of Pain Research (Dec 2023)
A Secondary Analysis: Comparison of Experimental Pain and Psychological Impact in Individuals with Carpometacarpal and Knee Osteoarthritis
Abstract
Tamara Ordonez Diaz,1,2 Roger B Fillingim,2,3 Yenisel Cruz-Almeida,2,3,* Jennifer A Nichols1,2,4,* 1J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; 2Pain Research & Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; 3Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; 4Department of Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Jennifer A Nichols, J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, 1275 Center Drive, BMS JG-56, PO Box 116131, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA, Tel +1(352)294-8803, Email [email protected]: Evaluate sensory and psychological differences in individuals with thumb carpometacarpal (CMC) and/or knee osteoarthritis (OA) pain. This secondary analysis focuses on comparing the effects of OA at large and small joints in community-dwelling adults.Patients and Methods: A total of 434 individuals were recruited from communities in Gainesville, FL and Birmingham, AL. Each participant completed health and clinical history questionnaires, quantitative sensory testing, and physical functional tests. Participants were divided into four groups based on their pain (“CMC pain” (n = 33), “knee pain” (n = 71), “CMC + knee pain” (n = 81), and “pain-free” controls (n = 60)). ANCOVAs were performed to identify significant differences in experimental pain and psychological variables across groups.Results: The “CMC + knee pain” group had lower pressure pain thresholds (lateral knee site, p < 0.01) and higher temporal summation of mechanical pain (knee, p < 0.01) when compared to “CMC pain” and “pain-free” groups. The “knee pain” group had lower heat pain tolerance at the forearm site (p = 0.02) and higher mechanical pain (p < 0.01) at both tested sites in comparison to the “CMC pain” group. Lastly, the “CMC + knee pain” group had the highest self-reported pain (p < 0.01) and disability (p < 0.01) compared to all other groups.Conclusion: Results suggest knee OA compounded with CMC OA increases disease impact and decreases emotional health compared to OA at either the CMC or knee joint alone. Results also support a relationship between the number of painful joints and enhanced widespread pain sensitivity. Measuring pain at sites other than the primary OA location is important and could contribute to more holistic treatment and prevention of OA progression.Keywords: thumb, trapeziometacarpal, multi-site OA, generalized OA, quantitative sensory testing
