Serum uric acid predicts changes in reports of non-gouty chronic pain: a prospective study among women with inflammatory and non-inflammatory pain

Abstract

Widespread pain has earlier been associated with an increase in serum urate (SU). The aim of this study was to longitudinally study the relation between changes in pain reporting and the level of SU among women with chronic pain. Consecutive female patients (n = 124; aged 20-70 years), at rheumatology and rehabilitation practices, with chronic musculoskeletal pain of different origins were followed for 1 year with repeated blood samples and questionnaires. Complete data were obtained from 107 individuals. Factors that predicted an increase in pain extension during 12 months were studied in a logistic regression model. Changes in SU showed a significant correlation (r = 0.36) with changes in the number of reported pain locations. An initially high SU level (OR = 4.46), frequent use of alcohol (OR = 1.32) and a high number of pain locations (OR = 1.24) independently predicted an increase in pain extension during 12 months, whereas the use of steroids (OR = 0.21) in patients with inflammatory disorders resulted in a decreased number of reported pain locations. A relative increase in SU in combination with report of a high number of pain locations turned out to be a risk factor of increased pain extension in a cohort of women with chronic non-gouty pain followed during 1 year. The importance of SU in relation to chronic pain and its prognosis needs to be validated in larger studies.

Hyperuricemia is Associated with Musculo-skeletal Pain - Results from a Cross-sectional Study

“…A comparison of urate levels demonstrated consistently higher urate levels in patients experiencing joint pain than in pain-free patients, independent of gender and across the relevant age group >40 years, which covers the broad majority of this population. A similar relationship between urate level and musculo-skeletal pain was indicated in a 1-year longitudinal study linking urate levels in women with chronic non-gouty pain to the number of pain locations [16]. The authors suggested more intensive care and rehabilitation measures for patients featuring a relatively high serum urate level, yet still within the reference range, along with pain at multiple locations [16].…”

“…A similar relationship between urate level and musculo-skeletal pain was indicated in a 1-year longitudinal study linking urate levels in women with chronic non-gouty pain to the number of pain locations [16]. The authors suggested more intensive care and rehabilitation measures for patients featuring a relatively high serum urate level, yet still within the reference range, along with pain at multiple locations [16].…”

A Hospital-Based Cross-Sectional Study of Patients With Plantar Fasciitis: Is Hyperuricemia Screening Needed?

“…Similarly, Andersson and Leden, in a prospective study of 124 women, found a relationship between serum uric acid level and musculoskeletal pain, with a significant association between urate level and chronic nongouty pain in women [27].…”

“…In the present literature, it is well established that hyperuricemia plays an important role in the manifestation of gout, but whether it can also cause plantar fasciitis has not been studied thus far, nor whether AH alone is an indication to start anti-gout treatment. It is equally well established that the degree of hyperuricemia is a strong predictor in developing gout [26][27][28], but whether hyperuricemia also plays a role in the development of plantar fasciitis has not yet been studied. However, Nossent et al noted that despite the high prevalence of hyperuricemia (10.7% of the population), uric acid was not independently predictive of cardiovascular disease or mortality.…”

Cohort Studies in the Understanding of Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain

“…Another study in adult women about GCP and the increase in pain locations shows a significant correlation with the increase in uric acid plasma concentrations after a one-year follow-up, recognizing this combination as a risk factor for the expansion of inflammatory and non-inflammatory pain [21].…”