Prevalence of somatic symptoms among Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) survivors in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Many Ebola virus disease (EVD) survivors have reported somatic and neuropsychological symptoms after discharge from the Ebola Treatment Unit (ETU). Since the 2014-2016 Ebola epidemic in West Africa, various studies have investigated and identified these symptoms. Evidence on somatic symptoms is widely available in the literature, however, there is no concise overview of the prevalence across different time intervals. METHODS: This meta-analysis was conducted following the (PRISMA) guidelines. A database search was conducted to identify original studies that reported the prevalence of symptoms. The primary outcome measure was the prevalence rate of several somatic symptoms. Results were pooled, and prevalence rates were assessed over time, to elucidate any particular trends. RESULTS: We included 23 studies (5,714 participants). The pooled prevalence was: arthralgia 50% (95% CI: 41%-59%); headache 44% (95% CI: 36%-52%); myalgia 32% (95% CI: 26%-38%); abdominal pain 27% (95% CI: 15%-39%); fatigue 25% (95% CI: 19%-31%); numbness of feet 16% (95% CI: 14%-18%); numbness of hands 12% (95% CI: 10%-14%) and hearing loss 9% (95% CI: 5%-12%). Prevalence across different time intervals revealed significant patterns. All the symptoms persisted for more than 2 years after discharge except for abdominal pain. CONCLUSION: The pooled prevalence rates of somatic symptoms are notably high. Arthralgia and headache are the most prevalent of the symptoms, with hearing loss and numbness in hands and feet being the least. We found that arthralgia, myalgia, and abdominal pain decreased over time. However, headache, fatigue, numbness of hands and feet, and hearing loss increased over time.

Insights into systemic lupus erythematosus: a retrospective observational study of clinical features, autoantibodies, and gender-related differences.

This study aims to analyze the clinical and immunologic features of SLE in Jordan, while also investigating the impact of age and gender on disease presentation. The study included 275 patients diagnosed with SLE. Data were collected through meticulous patient interviews and thorough examination of patient hospital records. The cohort exhibited a mean age of 36.8 ± 12.9 years, with an average disease duration of 7.0 ± 7.8 years. The mean age at diagnosis was 29.9 ± 12.1 years, and the female to male ratio was 7.8:1. The most frequently observed symptoms were arthralgia (90.2%), fatigue (80.7%), hematologic manifestations (62%), photosensitivity (60.7%), Raynaud's phenomenon (53.5%), and malar rash (50.9%). The frequencies of various autoantibodies were as follows: ANA (96.7%), anti-dsDNA (39.6%), anti-SSA/Ro (32.8%), anti-Sm (21.8%), anti-U1-RNP (20.6%), and anti-SSB/La (15.5%). Male patients tended to receive a diagnosis at a younger age and exhibited a higher likelihood of experiencing severe manifestations compared to females. Additionally, juvenile onset patients demonstrated an increased likelihood of fever, photosensitivity, myositis, and anti-dsDNA autoantibodies, while adult onset patients were more predisposed to having anti-Ro, anti-La, and RF autoantibodies. This study reveals that the most prevalent manifestations of SLE in the Jordanian cohort encompassed arthralgia, fatigue, and hematologic manifestations. The prevalence of alopecia and Raynaud's phenomenon exceeded that observed in other published cohorts, while arthritis and discoid rash were less frequently encountered. The study highlights that males are more susceptible to developing severe manifestations of SLE compared to females.

Risk of developing psoriatic arthritis in psoriasis cohorts with arthralgia: exploring the subclinical psoriatic arthritis stage.

OBJECTIVE: Subjects with subclinical psoriatic arthritis (PsA), defined as the presence of arthralgia in psoriasis (PsO), are at higher risk of PsA but scant real-world data exist. Our aims were to (1) estimate the probability of PsA development in subclinical PsA, (2) characterise subclinical PsA symptoms and (3) determine the clinical patterns at PsA diagnosis. METHODS: Patients with PsO, mainly subclinical PsA, were evaluated longitudinally in two European cohorts. The key outcome was new-onset PsA. Musculoskeletal symptoms including inflammatory and non-inflammatory symptoms before PsA diagnosis were collected. Occurrence of PsA was analysed with survival analysis and cumulative incidence functions (CIFs). RESULTS: 384 patients with PsO were included with a mean follow-up of 33.0 (±20.9) months. 311 of 384 (80.9%) had subclinical PsA with a PsA incidence rate of 7.7 per 100 patient-years. Subclinical PsA displayed a higher risk of PsA development compared with PsO (HR=11.7 (95% CI 1.57 to 86.7), p=0.016). The probability of new-onset PsA estimated by the CIF was 9.4% (95% CI 4.7% to 10.6%) at month 12 and 22.7% (95% CI 17.2% to 28.6%) at month 36. 58.9% of cases reported inflammatory symptoms in the months immediately prior to PsA diagnosis but prior non-inflammatory symptoms were evident in 83.9% prior to PsA diagnosis. Peripheral joint swelling was the predominant PsA presentation pattern (82.1%). CONCLUSIONS: The probability of PsA development among subclinical PsA was relatively high, emphasising the importance of emergent musculoskeletal symptoms when aiming for PsA prevention. Joint swelling was the dominant feature in new-onset PsA, likely reflecting clinical confidence in recognising joint swelling.

Predictors of quality of life, functional status, depression and fatigue in early arthritis: comparison between clinically suspect arthralgia, unclassified arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is often preceded by symptomatic phases during which classification criteria are not fulfilled. The health burden of these "at-risk" stages is not well described. This study assessed health-related quality of life (HRQoL), function, fatigue and depression in newly presenting patients with clinically suspect arthralgia (CSA), unclassified arthritis (UA) or RA. METHODS: Cross-sectional analysis of baseline Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) was conducted in patients from the Birmingham Early Arthritis Cohort. HRQoL, function, depression and fatigue at presentation were assessed using EQ-5D, HAQ-DI, PHQ-9 and FACIT-F. PROMs were compared across CSA, UA and RA and with population averages from the HSE with descriptive statistics. Multivariate linear regression assessed associations between PROMs and clinical and sociodemographic variables. RESULTS: Of 838 patients included in the analysis, 484 had RA, 200 had CSA and 154 had UA. Patients with RA reported worse outcomes for all PROMs than those with CSA or UA. However, "mean EQ-5D utilities were 0.65 (95%CI: 0.61 to 0.69) in CSA, 0.61 (0.56 to 0.66) in UA and 0.47 (0.44 to 0.50) in RA, which was lower than in general and older (≥ 65 years) background populations." In patients with CSA or UA, HRQoL was comparable to chronic conditions such as heart failure, severe COPD or mild angina. Higher BMI and older age (≥ 60 years) predicted worse depression (PHQ-9: -2.47 (-3.85 to -1.09), P < 0.001) and fatigue (FACIT-F: 5.05 (2.37 to 7.73), P < 0.001). Women were more likely to report worse function (HAQ-DI: 0.13 (0.03 to 0.21), P = 0.01) and fatigue (FACIT-F: -3.64 (-5.59 to -1.70), P < 0.001), and residents of more deprived areas experienced decreased function (HAQ-DI: 0.23 (0.10 to 0.36), P = 0.001), greater depression (PHQ-9: 1.89 (0.59 to 3.18), P = 0.004) and fatigue (FACIT-F: -2.60 (-5.11 to 0.09), P = 0.04). After adjustments for confounding factors, diagnostic category was not associated with PROMs, but disease activity and polypharmacy were associated with poorer performance across all PROMs. CONCLUSIONS: Patient-reported outcomes were associated with disease activity and sociodemographic characteristics. Patients presenting with RA reported a higher health burden than those with CSA or UA, however HRQoL in the pre-RA groups was significantly lower than population averages.

Evaluation and 1-year follow-up of patients presenting at a Lyme borreliosis expertise centre: a prospective cohort study with validated questionnaires.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the course of symptoms reported by patients with symptoms attributed to Lyme borreliosis (LB) without being subsequently diagnosed with LB. METHODS: We performed a prospective cohort study with patients presenting at the outpatient clinic of two clinical LB centres. The primary outcome was the prevalence of persistent symptoms, which were defined as clinically relevant fatigue (CIS, subscale fatigue), pain (SF-36, subscale bodily pain), and cognitive impairment (CFQ) for ≥ 6 months and onset < 6 months over the first year of follow-up. Outcomes were compared with a longitudinal cohort of confirmed LB patients and a general population cohort. Prevalences were standardised to the distribution of pre-defined confounders in the confirmed LB cohort. RESULTS: Participants (n = 123) reported mostly fatigue, arthralgia, myalgia, and paraesthesia as symptoms. The primary outcome could be determined for 74.8% (92/123) of participants. The standardised prevalence of persistent symptoms in our participants was 58.6%, which was higher than in patients with confirmed LB at baseline (27.2%, p < 0.0001) and the population cohort (21.2%, p < 0.0001). Participants reported overall improvement of fatigue (p < 0.0001) and pain (p < 0.0001) but not for cognitive impairment (p = 0.062) during the follow-up, though symptom severity at the end of follow-up remained greater compared to confirmed LB patients (various comparisons p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Patients with symptoms attributed to LB who present at clinical LB centres without physician-confirmed LB more often report persistent symptoms and report more severe symptoms compared to confirmed LB patients and a population cohort.

Socioeconomic variation in the prevalence of pain by anatomical sites among middle-aged and older adults in India: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Pain is a significant global public health concern, particularly among individuals aged 45 and above. Its impact on the overall lifestyle of the individuals varies depending on the affected anatomical parts. Despite its widespread impact, there is limited awareness of the attributes of pain, making effective pain management challenging, particularly in India. This study aims to estimate the prevalence and variation in pain in different anatomical sites among middle-aged and older adults in India. METHODS: A cross-sectional design was employed, utilising data from the first wave of the Longitudinal Aging Study in India (LASI), 2017-2018. The age-sex adjusted prevalence of pain by anatomical sites (the back, joints, and ankles) was estimated using a multivariate logistic regression model. RESULTS: 47% of individuals aged 45 years and above reported joint pain, 31% reported back pain and 20% suffered from ankle or foot pain. The prevalence of pain at all the anatomical sites increased with age and was reported higher among females. Relative to respondents aged 45-59 years, those aged 75 years and older exhibited a 41% higher likelihood of experiencing back pain (AOR: 1.41, 95% CI: 1.19-1.67), a 67% higher likelihood of joint pain (AOR: 1.67, 95% CI: 1.49-1.89), and a 32% higher likelihood of ankle/foot pain (AOR: 1.32, 95% CI: 1.16-1.50). In comparison to males, females had a 56% higher likelihood of encountering back pain (AOR: 1.56, 95% CI: 1.40-1.74), a 38% higher likelihood of joint pain (AOR: 1.38, 95% CI: 1.27-1.50), and a 35% higher likelihood of ankle/foot pain (AOR: 1.35, 95% CI: 1.17-1.57). We also found significant regional variations in pain prevalence, with higher rates in the mountainous regions of India. CONCLUSION: This research highlights the high burden of pain in major anatomical sites among middle-aged and older adults in India and emphasises the need for increased awareness and effective pain management strategies.

Disease Duration Affects the Clinical Phenotype of Primary Sjögren Syndrome: A Medical Records Review Study of 952 Cases.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the impact of disease duration on clinical phenotypes in Chinese patients with primary Sjögren syndrome (pSS) and examine the correlation between clinical phenotypes and onset age, age at diagnosis, and disease duration. METHODS: Data from 952 patients diagnosed with pSS in China between January 2013 and March 2022 were analyzed based on medical records. Patients were categorized into 3 groups based on disease duration: short (<5 years), moderate (≥5 and <10 years), and long (≥10 years) group. Clinical characteristics were compared among the 3 groups, and pSS patients with a long disease duration were compared with the other patients after matching age at diagnosis and age at onset. RESULTS: Among the patients, 20.4% had a disease duration over 10 years. After matching for age at onset and age at diagnosis, pSS patients with a long disease duration exhibited a significantly higher prevalence of dry mouth ( p <0.001), dry eyes ( p <0.001), fatigue ( p <0.001), arthralgia ( p <0.001), and dental caries ( p <0.001) and higher rates of anti-Sjögren syndrome A ( p < 0.05), anti-Ro52 ( p < 0.05), and anti-SSB ( p < 0.05) positivity than their control groups, with prevalence increasing with disease duration ( ptrend < 0.001). However, no differences were noted in the prevalence of interstitial lung disease and leukopenia between different disease duration groups after matching for age at onset, although differences were shown when matching for age at diagnosis. CONCLUSION: Longer disease duration in pSS patients correlates with increased prevalence of sicca symptoms, fatigue, and arthralgia and higher positivity of autoantibodies associated with pSS. However, the prevalence of interstitial lung disease and leukopenia did not correlate with disease duration after matching for age at onset.

Prevalence of lower limb pain and disability in football, hockey, and floorball players.

BACKGROUND: Currently there are not enough studies that compared frequent types of collective sports with regard to the prevalence of pain and disability of the lower limb. OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of lower limb pain and disability in team sports players. METHODS: 388 athletes with average age 27.26 ± 4.69, from sports clubs at the national level were included in the study. The Oxford Hip Score was used to determine the prevalence of hip pain. The International Knee Documentation Committee was used to determine the prevalence of knee pain. The Foot and Ankle Disability Index was used to determine the prevalence of ankle pain. RESULTS: Hockey players had a prevalence of hip pain of 97.2% and a 14.3 times higher risk of developing hip pain compared with football and floorball players. Floorball players had a 81.9% prevalence of knee pain, with a 3.8 times higher the risk of knee pain compared with football and hockey. Floorball players had a 62.3% prevalence of ankle pain and a 1.8 times higher the risk of developing ankle pain compared with football and hockey players. CONCLUSIONS: The highest percentage of knee 81.9% and ankle 62.3% pain, as well as the greatest risk of pain, was found among floorball players. Hockey players had the highest prevalence (97.2%) and risk of developing hip pain.

Arthralgia in midlife Singaporean women: the Integrated Women's Health Program (IWHP).

OBJECTIVE: Arthralgia is a common menopausal complaint in midlife women, and its causes remain unclear. We examined the prevalence of menopausal arthralgia with various factors including sleep quality, depression/anxiety, muscle strength and physical performance among midlife Singaporean women. METHODS: The Integrated Women's Health Program (IWHP) comprised 1120 healthy, community-dwelling women of Chinese, Malay or Indian ethnicities (aged 45-69 years) attending well-women clinics at the National University Hospital, Singapore. Sociodemographic, menopausal, reproductive and health data were obtained with validated questionnaires. Muscle strength, physical performance and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry were measured. Women with moderate to very severe symptoms using the Menopause Rating Scale were classified as having arthralgia. Multivariable logistic regression analyses examined risk factors for arthralgia. RESULTS: One-third of the participants reported arthralgia, and 12.7%, 16.2% and 71.2% were in the premenopausal, perimenopausal and postmenopausal period, respectively. Menopausal symptoms, such as vaginal dryness (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 2.64, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.64, 4.24) and physical/mental exhaustion (aOR: 2.83, 95% CI: 1.79, 4.47), were independent risk factors for arthralgia. Poor muscle strength (aOR: 2.20, 95% CI: 1.29, 3.76), obesity (aOR: 1.94, 95% CI: 1.13, 3.32) and rheumatoid arthritis (aOR: 7.73, 95% CI: 4.47, 13.36) were also independently associated with arthralgia after adjustment for confounders. CONCLUSIONS: Arthralgia in midlife Singaporean women was associated with menopausal symptoms of vaginal dryness and physical and mental exhaustion. Women with poor muscle strength were more likely to experience menopausal arthralgia.

Comparison of reporting rates of arthritis and arthralgia following AstraZeneca, Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Janssen vaccine administration against SARS-CoV-2 in 2021: analysis of European pharmacovigilance large-scale data.

This study aimed to investigate the reporting rates of arthritis and arthralgia following the administration of four vaccines against SARS-CoV-2: Pfizer-BioNTech (Tozinameran), Moderna (CX-024414), AstraZeneca (Chadox1 NCOV-19), and Janssen (AD26.COV2.S) in 2021. We used data from the EudraVigilance database, specifically analyzing spontaneous reports of suspected adverse reactions (ADRs) from the European Union (EU)/European Economic Area (EEA) region. Age-group-specific reporting rates were calculated by dividing the number of arthralgia and arthritis reports per 1,000,000 vaccine doses administered per age group. Reporting rates were compared using a rate ratio among the four vaccines, using the AstraZeneca vaccine as a comparator. The AstraZeneca vaccine was associated with the highest rate of arthralgia across all age groups. Arthritis reporting rates were significantly lower, with the AstraZeneca vaccine having the highest rates in most age groups, except the 60-69 and 80+ groups, where the Janssen and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines demonstrated higher reporting rates, respectively. The distribution of arthritis rates did not follow the arthralgia pattern, being higher in the 50-79 age group. This study is the first spontaneous reporting system analysis of arthritis reporting rates post-SARS-CoV-2 vaccination at a European level, revealing a higher reporting of suspected musculoskeletal adverse reactions after AstraZeneca vaccination. The findings underscore the need to consider commonly reported events like arthralgia in risk-benefit assessments prior to vaccination against SARS-CoV-2. Given the high prevalence of rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases and vaccine hesitancy in this population, our results could influence vaccine choice and acceptance.

The prevalence of foot pain and association with baseline characteristics in people participating in education and supervised exercise for knee or hip osteoarthritis: a cross-sectional study of 26,003 participants from the GLA:D® registry.

BACKGROUND: Osteoarthritis (OA) affecting the knee or hip is highly prevalent in the general population and has associated high disease burden. Early identification of modifiable risk factors that prevent, limit, or resolve disease symptoms is critical. Foot pain may represent a potentially modifiable factor however little is known about the prevalence of foot pain in people with knee or hip OA nor whether foot pain is associated with clinical characteristics. The main aim of this study was therefore to determine the prevalence of foot pain in people with knee or hip OA attending an education and supervised exercise-based intervention in Denmark (GLA:D®) and determine if baseline demographic or clinical characteristics are associated with foot pain. METHODS: Analysis was conducted on baseline data of 26,003 people with symptomatic knee or hip OA completing a pain mannequin as part of the Good Life with osteoArthritis in Denmark (GLA:D®) primary care programme. Odds Ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated to estimate the strength of association between baseline clinical characteristics (including pain severity in worst knee/hip joint, number of painful knee/hip joints, pain medication use and physical activity level) and the presence of baseline foot pain. RESULTS: Twelve percent of participants (n = 3,049) reported foot pain. In those people with index knee OA (n = 19,391), knee pain severity (OR 1.01 CI 1.00, 1.01), number of painful knee/hip joints (OR 1.67 CI 1.58, 1.79), and use of pain medication (OR 1.23 CI 1.12, 1.36) were statistically associated with foot pain. Excluding use of pain medication, similar associations were seen in those with index hip OA. CONCLUSION: Twelve percent of people with knee or hip OA participating in GLA:D® had foot pain. Those with worse knee/hip pain, and greater number of painful joints were more likely to report foot pain. This study is the first to demonstrate a significant relationship between clinical characteristics and foot pain in people with knee or hip OA participating in education and supervised exercise. Future investigation should consider the role that foot pain may play on knee and hip related outcomes following therapeutic intervention.

A Comparative Analysis of Chikungunya in Kidney Transplant Recipients Compared With the General Population: A Multicenter, Retrospective, Cohort Study From India.

OBJECTIVES: Chikungunya is an arboviral illness, with patients presenting with fever, arthralgias, and myalgias. Outbreaks have occurred in tropical regions, and the virus is now endemic to many tropics, including South Asia, with India contributing a large part of the global burden. The presentation and long-term effects on transplant recipients are largely unknown. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective analytical study, we compared chikungunya infection in 44 kidney transplant recipients from multiple centers in India and 34 patients from the general population. Data were collected from medical records and patient recall. RESULTS: Differences in presentation were remarkable between the 2 groups, with significantly lower incidence of musculoskeletal symptoms on presentation in transplant recipients compared with the general population. The incidence of acute graft dysfunction was 17.08% in transplant recipients, with return to baseline at the end of 1 month. Acute symptomatology resolved in transplant recipients within 1 month, and insignificant chronic symptoms were reported after 3 months. CONCLUSIONS: Chikungunya in kidney transplant recipients is markedly different from that of the general population, with significantly lower incidence of musculoskeletal symptoms such as arthralgias. The infection caused acute graft dysfunction, but no long-term sequelae were shown at the end of 1 year.

Predictors of chronic joint pain after Chikungunya virus infection in the INOVACHIK prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Chikungunya can cause persistent chronic joint pain. Knowledge of the risk factors for disease progression is important for preventing and controlling complications. This study aimed to identify factors associated with chronic joint pain. METHODS: This prospective cohort study was conducted at a reference center in Rio de Janeiro. Men and women (aged ≥ 18 years) in the acute phase of Chikungunya were included. Clinical data and samples were collected over three months. Risk factors were evaluated using multivariate and logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: A total of 107 patients were followed up. The incidence rate of joint tenderness was 61.7 %. Female sex (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 3.24, 95 % confidence interval [CI]:1.07-9.77), diarrhea (AOR 5.08, 95 % CI:1.55-16.67), severe joint pain (AOR 4.26, 95 % CI:1.06-17.06), and CHIKV real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction positivity up to 5 days after the onset of symptoms in urine or saliva (AOR 4.56, 95 % CI:1.41-14.77) were identified as predictors of persistent chronic pain. CONCLUSIONS: In a predominantly female population, musculoskeletal symptoms are not the sole determinant of chronic pain, and careful evaluation of CHIKV detection in alternative body fluids (such as saliva and urine) during the early phase of the disease is warranted.

Arthralgia in female Masters weightlifters.

BACKGROUND: Arthralgia or joint pain is a heterogeneous condition including organic and nonorganic joint pain. It is common in older populations, particularly in females. There is evidence that menopausal changes are associated with increased prevalence of arthralgia. While physical activities have been recommended to mitigate osteoarthritis (OA) and arthralgia, sport participation also carries risk factors due to excessive loading of some joints and possible injuries. The aim was to evaluate the association of training patterns, prior injuries, and severity of menopausal symptoms with arthralgia in female Masters weightlifters. METHODS: Competitive female Masters weightlifters (n=868, 30-78 years) from 30 countries completed an online survey including joint pain for different anatomical sites, weightlifting training and performance, sport history, and menopausal symptoms. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the association of training patterns, prior sport participation, and menopausal symptom severity with arthralgia separately for shoulders, spine, hips, knees, ankles, elbows, and hands. RESULTS: Arthralgia was most reported in knees (38.8%), shoulders (29.8%), hands/wrists (28.8%), and hips (24.9%). The prevalence of arthralgia was 51.5% in pre-menopausal women, 62.4% in women post natural menopause and 73.3% in women post medical or surgical menopause. Lifting heavier weights was associated with arthralgia in hips (OR=1.05, p=0.03), knees (OR=1.06, p=0.01), and hands/wrists (OR=1.05, p=0.04), but prior strength training was protective for arthralgia in the shoulders (OR=0.66, p=0.02). Prior injuries and psychological menopausal symptom severity were associated with an increased risk for arthralgia (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Arthralgia was common in competitive female weightlifters. Training frequency was not associated with arthralgia, but lifting heavier weights relative to age and body mass was. Prior injuries and menopausal symptoms were associated with arthralgia, but prior strength training was protective of arthralgia in the shoulders. Athletes, coaches and sports medicine professionals should be aware that prevalence of polyarthralgia increases in post-menopausal athletes.

Prevalence of hepatitis C virus among patients with arthralgia: is it logic for screening?

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is well-known to be associated with multiple extrahepatic manifestations such as arthralgia, myalgia, arthritis, and vasculitis. Many studies reported frequent rheumatologic manifestations among patients infected by HCV. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of HCV among chronic unexplained arthralgia patients in order to aid in the early detection and treatment of silent HCV infection. METHODS: This study was a cross-sectional observational study conducted from July 2020 to May 2022. It included 145 individuals suffering from chronic unexplained arthralgia, with vast majority having oligoarticular joint pain (110, 75.9%). They were 103 (71%) females and 42 (29%) males. Serum samples from all patients were examined for the presence of anti-HCV antibodies using a rapid immunochromatographic assay. Seropositive samples were further examined using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detection of HCV RNA to confirm HCV infection. RESULTS: Out of 145 patients who complained of arthralgia, seven patients tested positive for anti-HCV with a seroprevalence of 4.8% while five patients tested positive for HCV-RNA with a molecular prevalence of 3.4%. All positive patients were males (11.9%) with high statistical significance (χ2 = 12.7 and p = 0.002). No association was found between HCV infection and age, blood transfusion, surgery, using personal shaving tools, or being a health-care worker. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of HCV was high among males who complained of arthralgia. Patients with arthralgia, especially male patients, are recommended to perform HCV screening test.

Prevalence and correlates of the use of complementary and alternative medicines among older adults with joint pain.

BACKGROUND: There is increasing use of complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs) alone or as an adjuvant therapy to conventional medicines in osteoarthritis (OA) patients. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to describe the prevalence and correlates of the use of CAMs among community-dwelling older adults. METHODS: Data from the Tasmania Older Adult Cohort Study (TASOAC, n = 1099) were used to describe the prevalence of CAM use. Correlates of CAM use were assessed by comparing CAM users and non-users. To further assess correlates of CAM use, participants with at least one joint with pain were classified into four categories: CAM-only, analgesics-only, co-therapy, and "neither CAMs nor analgesics" (NCNA). RESULTS: In all, 385 (35.0%) of our participants reported use of CAMs, among which vitamins/minerals were used most (22.6%, n = 232). Compared with CAM non-users, CAM users were more likely to be female, were less likely to be overweight, were better educated, had more joints with OA, had fewer WOMAC scores, and did more steps per day. Among participants with any joint pain, the CAM-only group were less likely to be overweight, consumed more alcohol, had higher quality of life, had more steps per day, and had fewer pain-related symptoms compared with the analgesic-only group. CONCLUSION: Complementary and alternative medicines were commonly used among Tasmanian older adults, with 35% of the population using CAMs either alone or in combination with conventional analgesics. CAM users were more likely to be female, be better educated, have more joints with OA, and had healthier lifestyles, including lower body mass index and higher number of steps per day.

The Natural History of Knee Osteoarthritis Pain Experience and Risk Profiles.

The study aimed to characterize the natural history of the pain experience, concurrently considering intermittent and constant pain over 4 years, and determine baseline factors associated with unfavorable trajectories in individuals with chronic knee pain. The Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI) is a prospective, observational study of people with or at higher risk for knee osteoarthritis. The Intermittent and Constant Osteoarthritis Pain (ICOAP) was assessed annually at 48-to-96-month OAI visits. Twenty-eight baseline sociodemographic, knee-specific, and health-related characteristics were assessed. Group-based dual-trajectory modeling identified pain experience patterns indicated by ICOAP intermittent and constant pain scores over 4 years. Multivariable multinomial logistic regression models determined baseline factors associated with membership in each dual-trajectory group. Four longitudinal pain experience patterns were identified (n = 3,584, mean age = 64.8 [standard deviation 9.0] years, BMI = 28.6 [5.0] kg/m2; 57.9% women). Group 1 (37.7%) had minimal intermittent and no constant pain; Group 2 (35.1%) had mild intermittent and no constant pain; Group 3 (18.5%) had mild intermittent and low-grade constant pain; and Group 4 (8.7%) had moderate intermittent and constant pain. Baseline widespread pain, knee stiffness, back pain, hip pain, ankle pain, obesity, depressive symptoms, more advanced radiographic disease, and analgesic use were each associated with an increased risk of membership in less favorable Groups 2, 3, and 4. These distinct courses of pain experience may be driven by different underlying pain mechanisms. The benchmarked ICOAP scores could be used to stratify patients and tailor management. Addressing and preventing the development of modifiable risks (eg, widespread pain and knee joint stiffness) may reduce the chance of belonging to unfavorable dual-trajectory groups. PERSPECTIVE: Concurrently tracking intermittent versus constant pain experience, group-based dual-trajectory modeling identified 4 distinct pain experience patterns over 4 years. The benchmarked ICOAP scores in these dual trajectories could aid in stratifying patients for tailored management strategies and intensity of care.

Educational disparities in joint pain within and across US states: do macro sociopolitical contexts matter?

ABSTRACT: Despite growing recognition of the importance of social, economic, and political contexts for population health and health inequalities, research on pain disparities relies heavily on individual-level data, while neglecting overarching macrolevel factors such as state-level policies and characteristics. Focusing on moderate or severe arthritis-attributable joint pain-a common form of pain that considerably harms individuals' quality of life-we (1) compared joint pain prevalence across US states; (2) estimated educational disparities in joint pain across states; and (3) assessed whether state sociopolitical contexts help explain these 2 forms of cross-state variation. We linked individual-level data on 407,938 adults (ages 25-80 years) from the 2017 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System with state-level data on 6 measures (eg, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program [SNAP], Earned Income Tax Credit, Gini index, and social cohesion index). We conducted multilevel logistic regressions to identify predictors of joint pain and inequalities therein. Prevalence of joint pain varies strikingly across US states: the age-adjusted prevalence ranges from 6.9% in Minnesota to 23.1% in West Virginia. Educational gradients in joint pain exist in all states but vary substantially in magnitude, primarily due to variation in pain prevalence among the least educated. At all education levels, residents of states with greater educational disparities in pain are at a substantially higher risk of pain than peers in states with lower educational disparities. More generous SNAP programs (odds ratio [OR] = 0.925; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.963-0.957) and higher social cohesion (OR = 0.819; 95% CI: 0.748-0.896) predict lower overall pain prevalence, and state-level Gini predicts higher pain disparities by education.

Joint involvement in RA starts predominantly in the hands: functional, clinical and imaging studies in clinically suspect arthralgia and during progression to RA.

OBJECTIVES: It is unknown whether rheumatoid arthritis (RA) starts in hands or feet. To investigate this, we performed functional, clinical and imaging studies during progression from clinically suspect arthralgia (CSA) to RA. Additionally, we studied whether functional disabilities of hands/feet at CSA onset contribute to predicting RA development. METHODS: 600 patients with CSA were followed for clinical inflammatory arthritis (IA) during median follow-up of 25 months, during which 99 developed IA. Functional disabilities were measured at baseline/4/12/24 months with the Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ); HAQ items assessing hand disabilities and foot disabilities were selected. The course of disabilities towards IA development (here considered as t=0) was depicted by increasing incidences and analysed using linear mixed models. To evaluate robustness of findings, tender hand/foot joints and subclinical joint inflammation (measured with CE-1.5TMRI) of hand/foot were additionally studied. Associations between disabilities at CSA presentation (here t=0) and future IA development were studied using Cox regression in the total CSA population. RESULTS: During IA development, hand disabilities occurred earlier and more frequently than foot disabilities. Despite both hand disabilities and foot disabilities rose significantly towards IA development, hand disabilities were more severe during this course (mean difference over time: 0.41 units, 95% CI 0.28 to 0.55, p<0.001, on a range 0-3). Similar to functional disabilities, tender joints and subclinical joint inflammation occurred earlier in the hands than feet. In the total CSA population, a single HAQ question on difficulties with dressing (hand functioning) was independently predictive for IA development: HR=2.2, 95% CI 1.4 to 3.5, p=0.001. CONCLUSION: Evaluation of functional disabilities, supported by clinical and imaging findings, revealed that joint involvement starts predominantly in the hands during RA development. Additionally, a single question on dressing difficulties adds value to risk stratification in patients with CSA.

Arthralgia among Patients with COVID-19 Infection Admitted to the Department of Medicine of a Tertiary Care centre: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study.

Introduction: COVID-19 is a global pandemic that has affected millions of people worldwide. It predominantly affects the respiratory tract causing various respiratory symptoms. It also causes various musculoskeletal symptoms in the form of arthralgia and myalgia which may be incapacitating for some patients. The objective of this study was to find out the prevalence of arthralgia among patients with COVID-19 infection admitted to the Department of Medicine. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in the Department of Internal Medicine of a tertiary care centre. Data from March 2020 to May 2021 were collected between 2 December 2021 and 20 December 2021 from the hospital records. Ethical approval was obtained from the Ethical Review Board (Reference number: 1312). All patients who were admitted with the diagnosis of COVID-19 infection based on positive Reverse Transcriptase-Polymerase Chain Reaction for COVID-19 were included in the study. Convenience sampling method was used. Point estimate and 95% confidence interval were calculated. Results: Among 929 patients included in the study, the prevalence of arthralgia was found to be 106 (11.41%) (10.30-12.51, 95% Confidence Interval). The mean age of these patients was 52.81±17.46 years. Conclusions: The prevalence of arthralgia in COVID-19-infected patients was similar to other similar studies done in similar settings. Keywords: arthralgia; COVID-19; prevalence; tertiary care.