Frequent pain in older people with and without diabetes \u2013 Finnish community based study

P Mäntyselkä,M Tiihonen,M Haanpää,M Karjalainen,J Saltevo,H Kautiainen

doi:10.1186/s12877-018-0762-y

Abstract

BackgroundThe association between pain and diabetes in older people has been largely unexplored. The aim of this survey was to analyze the prevalence and characteristics of pain among Finnish men and women 65 or older with and without diabetes in primary care.MethodsAll home-dwelling persons 65 years or older with diabetes (N = 527) and age and gender matched controls (N = 890) were identified from electronic patient records. Frequent pain was regarded as any pain experienced more often than once a week, and it was divided into pain experienced several times a week but not daily and pain experienced daily or continuously. The Numeric Rating Scale (0–10) (NRS) was used to assess the intensity and interference of the pain.ResultsThe number of subjects who returned the questionnaire was 1084 (76.5%). The prevalence of frequent pain in the preceding week was 50% among women without diabetes and 63% among women with diabetes (adjusted, p = 0.22). In men, the corresponding proportions were 42% without diabetes and 47% with diabetes (adjusted, p = 0.58). In both genders, depressive symptoms and the number of comorbidities were associated with pain experienced more often than once a week and with daily pain. Diabetes was not associated with pain intensity or pain interference in either women or men.ConclusionsPain in older adults is associated with depressive symptoms and the number of comorbidities more than with diabetes itself.

Highlights

The association between pain and diabetes in older people has been largely unexplored
The model included diabetes, age, depressive symptoms (GDS-15 score per 1-SD), physical activity (Kasari FIT Index per 1-SD), alcohol use (AUDIT-C per 1-SD), smoking and number of comorbidities. In both women and men, depressive symptoms and the number of comorbidities were associated with pain experienced several times a day and daily pain
Significant association was found between pain intensity, interference, and HbA1C (Fig. 5). This primary care setting study found a high prevalence of frequent pain in older people with and without diabetes

Summary

Introduction

The association between pain and diabetes in older people has been largely unexplored. The aim of this survey was to analyze the prevalence and characteristics of pain among Finnish men and women 65 or older with and without diabetes in primary care. Diabetes is among the most common chronic diseases in the world and in Finland [1]. In Finland the prevalence of diabetes is estimated to be 11%. Most patients with diabetes in Finland have type 2 diabetes (89%) [3]. The increasing incidence and prevalence of diabetes will inevitably result in accumulation of diabetes in older people [4]. It is assumed that people with diabetes have a bigger load of diseases than people without diabetes [5]

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Conclusion