Chronic Pain Increases the Risk for Major Adverse Cardiac and Cerebrovascular Events: A Nationwide Population-Based Study in Asia.

Abstract

Chronic pain (CP) may increase the risk for major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs); however, this issue is still unclear in the Asian population. We conducted this study to delineate it. From the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database, we identified 17,614participants (<65 years) with CP and matched them by age and sex at a 1:2 ratio toparticipants without CP, who made up the comparison cohort. Several causes of CP and its underlying comorbidities were also analyzed. A comparison of MACCE occurring in the two cohorts was performed via follow-up until 2015. The mean age (SD) was 50.2 (11.5) years and 50.4 (11.7) years inparticipants with and without CP, respectively. In both cohorts, the percentage of femaleparticipants was 55.5%. Common causes of CP were spinal disorders (23.9%), osteoarthritis (12.4%), headaches (11.0%), gout (10.2%), malignancy (6.2%), and osteoporosis (4.5%). After adjusting for hypertension, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, renal diseases, hyperlipidemia, liver diseases, dementia, and depression, participants with CP had a higher risk for MACCE than those without CP (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR] = 1.3, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.3 - 1.4). After conducting subgroup analyses, an increased risk was also found for all-cause mortality (AHR = 1.4, 95% CI = 1.1 - 1.8), acute myocardial infarction (AHR = 1.2, 95% CI = 1.0 - 1.4), and stroke (AHR = 1.3, 95% CI = 1.3 - 1.4). CP is associated with increased occurrence of MACCE. Early detection and interventions for CP are suggested.