Hans Lindgren

Chronic musculoskeletal pain predicted hospitalisation due to serious medical conditions in a 10 year follow up study

BackgroundThe aim was to examine if self reported chronic regional pain (CRP) and chronic widespread pain (CWP) predicted inpatient care due to serious medical conditions such as cerebrovascular diseases, ischemic heart diseases, neoplasms and infectious diseases in a general population cohort over a ten year follow-up period.MethodsA ten-year follow up of a cohort from the general adult population in two health care districts with mixed urban and rural population in the south of Sweden, that in 1995 participated in a survey on health and musculoskeletal pain experience. Information on hospitalisation for each subject was taken from the regional health care register. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to study the associations between chronic musculoskeletal pain and different medical conditions as causes of hospitalisation.ResultsA report of CRP (OR = 1.6; p < 0.001) or CWP ( OR = 2.1; p < 0.001) predicted at least one episode of inpatient care over a ten year period, with an increased risk in almost all diagnostic subgroups, including cerebrovascular diseases, ischemic heart diseases, and infectious diseases. There was however no increased risk of hospitalisation due to neoplasms.ConclusionsThe presence of especially CWP was associated with hospital inpatient care due to several serious medical disorders. This may imply a general vulnerability to different medical conditions that has to be addressed in the assessment and management of subjects with chronic musculoskeletal pain.

Gender differences in outcome after stent treatment of lesions in the femoropopliteal segment

Background and Aims: Although endovascular stent treatment is increasingly used in infrainguinal atherosclerotic occlusive disease, outcome with focus on gender differences has not been reported in detail. Material and Methods: One hundred and twelve consecutive patients (67 [60%]) women, undergoing endovascular nitinol stent treatment of atherosclerotic lesions in the femoropopliteal segment were analysed concerning improvement in ankle brachial index (ABI), reinterventions, complications, amputation and survival rates up to 12 months after intervention. Risk factors for amputation and death were analyzed with logistic regression. Results: At presentation, women showed critical limb ischemia (CLI) more often than men (87% vs. 58 %; P = 0.001). After 12 months ABI had improved (from 0.40 ± 0.26 at baseline to 0.86 ± 0.22 after 12 months, P < 0.001), but 16 patients (15%) had been amputated and 27 patients (24 %) had died. After adjustment for age, diabetes mellitus and smoking, female gender was an independent risk factor for amputation (OR 9.0; 95% CI 1.1–76.5; P = 0.045). Conclusions: Stent treatment of lesions in the femoropopliteal segment had favourable effects on ABI and limb salvage. Treated women more often had CLI and ran a higher risk for amputation within 12 months than men. This might reflect failure of clinicians to adequately appreciate symptoms of atherosclerotic leg artery disease in women.

Invasive Treatment for Infrainguinal Claudication Has Satisfactory 1 Year Outcome in Three out of Four Patients: A Population-based Analysis from Swedvasc

OBJECTIVES In spite of recommendations advocating conservative best medical treatment, many patients with infrainguinal intermittent claudication (IC) are treated by invasive open and endovascular methods. This study aims to evaluate the incidence and 1-year results of all such treatments during 2009 in Sweden. METHODS The design was a one-year follow-up through the Swedish Vascular Registry (Swedvasc) of all 775 patients from the Swedish population of 10 million inhabitants in whom 843 invasive infrainguinal procedures (796 index procedures and 47 secondary procedures) were performed for IC in 2009. Index procedures were open surgery in 290 (37%) patients, bilateral in nine cases, giving a total of 299 limbs, endovascular treatment in 447 (58%) patients, bilateral in 10, giving a total of 457 limbs, and hybrid treatment in 38 (5%) patients, bilateral in two cases, giving a total of 40 limbs. Data were analysed both with regard to the number of patients (775) and the number of procedures (843). Clinical outcome was calculated from patient-reported leg function (unchanged, improved, deteriorated) and whether amputation had been necessary or death had occurred. Patent reconstruction at 1 year was also counted as improvement. RESULTS Improvement at 1 year was seen in 567 (73.2%) patients, (225 [77.6%] in the open surgery group, 320 [71.6%] in the endovascular treatment group, and 22 [57.9%] in the hybrid treatment group). No significant difference was found between the open surgery and endovascular treatment groups comprising 737/775 patients (p = .350). Hybrid treatment gave significantly worse results (p = .046). Fifty-seven (7.3%) patients reported unchanged limb function and 32 (4.1%) patients reported deterioration. Within 30 days two patients died and one patient underwent amputation. Within 1 year 10 patients underwent 11 amputations: five (1.7%) in the open surgery group, three (0.6%) in the endovascular treatment group, and two (7.5%) in the hybrid treatment group; one underwent bilateral amputation (p = .07). Twenty-two patients died: 10 (3.4%) in the open surgery group, 12 (2.7%) in the endovascular treatment group and none in the hybrid treatment group (p = .465). CONCLUSIONS Reported improvement at 1 year was 73.2% in patients invasively treated for infrainguinal IC. Patients reporting an unchanged or deteriorated clinical state are a considerable clinical challenge. Further studies to determine whether or not invasive treatment of infrainguinal IC is appropriate are justified.

The use and diagnostic yield of radiology in subjects with longstanding musculoskeletal pain – an eight year follow up

BackgroundLongstanding musculoskeletal pain is common in the general population and associated with frequent use of health care. Plain radiography is a common diagnostic approach in these patients despite knowledge that the use in the investigation of musculoskeletal pain is associated with low diagnostic yield, substantial costs and high radiation exposure. The aim of this study was to assess the use of diagnostic imaging and the proportion of pathological findings with regard to duration and distribution of pain in a cohort from the general population.MethodsAn eight-year longitudinal study based on questionnaires at three occasions and medical records on radiological examinations done in medical care. Thirty subjects were selected from an established population based cohort of 2425 subjects that in 1995 answered a postal survey on pain experience. At baseline there were ten subjects from each of three pain groups; No chronic pain, Chronic regional pain, and Chronic widespread pain (CWP). Those who presented with CWP at two or all three occasions were considered to have a longstanding or re-occurring CWP. In total the thirty subjects underwent 102 radiological examinations during the eight year follow up.ResultsThere was a non-significant (p = 0.10) finding indicating that subjects with chronic pain at baseline (regional or widespread) were examined three times more often than those with no chronic pain. When the indication for the examination was pain, there was a low proportion of positive findings in subjects with longstanding CWP, compared to all others (5.3% vs 28.9%; p = 0.045). On the other hand, in examinations on other indications than pain the proportion of positive findings was high in the CWP group (62.5% vs 14.8%; p = 0.001).ConclusionRadiological examinations had a low diagnostic yield in evaluation of pain in subjects with longstanding/reoccurring CWP. These subjects had on the other hand more often positive findings when examined on other indications than pain. This may indicate that subjects with longstanding/reoccurring CWP are more prone to other diseases. It is a challenge for caregivers, often primary care physicians, to use radiological examinations to the best for their patients.

Patients With Intermittent Claudication and Chronic Widespread Pain Improves in Health-Related Quality of Life After Invasive but Not After Noninvasive Treatment:

Background: Intermittent claudication (IC) is traditionally managed with risk factor modification, best medical treatment (BMT), and exercise training. Comorbidities such as diabetes and ischemic heart disease affect both results of invasive treatment and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) negatively. It is unknown how chronic widespread pain (CWP) influences the results of invasive treatment. We evaluated the influence of CWP on HRQoL in patients undergoing invasive (open surgery or endovascular treatment) and noninvasive BMT of IC. Methods: A total of 242 patients with IC treated with invasive or noninvasive methods responded to the validated HRQoL questionnaires Short Form 36 Health Survey, EuroQoL 5-dimensions, and distribution of pain with the Epipain questionnaire at baseline and after 12 months. Results: Invasively treated patients without CWP improved in all primary outcome measures. Patients with CWP reported significant improvements in most of the HRQoL-related outcome measures after invasive treatment, but patients with CWP in the noninvasive treatment group did not improve in any HRQoL-related outcome measure. Conclusions: The presence of CWP not should be a cause to withhold invasive treatment in patients with IC.