ACR Meeting Abstracts

ACR Meeting Abstracts

  • Meetings
    • ACR Convergence 2024
    • ACR Convergence 2023
    • 2023 ACR/ARP PRSYM
    • ACR Convergence 2022
    • ACR Convergence 2021
    • ACR Convergence 2020
    • 2020 ACR/ARP PRSYM
    • 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting
    • 2018-2009 Meetings
    • Download Abstracts
  • Keyword Index
  • Advanced Search
  • Your Favorites
    • Favorites
    • Login
    • View and print all favorites
    • Clear all your favorites
  • ACR Meetings

Abstract Number: 0360

Factors Associated with Pain Intensity in Axial Spondyloarthritis. Results from the EuropeanMap of Axial Spondyloarthritis (EMAS)

Marco Garrido-Cumbrera1, Victoria Navarro-Compán2, Christine Bundy3, Laura Christen4, Raj Mahapatra5, Souzi Makri6, Carlos Jesús Delgado-Domínguez7, José Correa-Fernández7, Pedro Plazuelo-Ramos8 and Denis Poddubnyy9, 1Health & Territory Research (HTR), University of Seville, Sevilla, Spain, 2Rheumatology service, Hospital Universitario La Paz-IdiPaz, Madrid, Spain, 3Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom, 4Novartis Pharma AG, Basel, Switzerland, 5Axial Spondyloarthritis International Federation (ASIF), London, United Kingdom, 6Cyprus League Against Rheumatism (CYPLAR), Limassol, Cyprus, 7Health & Territory Research (HTR), Universidad de Sevilla, Seville, Spain, 8Spanish Federation of Spondyloarthritis Associations (CEADE), Madrid, Spain, 9Department of Rheumatology, Charité – Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany

Meeting: ACR Convergence 2021

Keywords: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS), pain, Patient reported outcomes, spondyloarthritis, work

  • Tweet
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
Session Information

Date: Saturday, November 6, 2021

Title: Spondyloarthritis Including PsA – Diagnosis, Manifestations, & Outcomes Poster I: Clinical Aspects of Axial Spondyloarthritis (0357–0386)

Session Type: Poster Session A

Session Time: 8:30AM-10:30AM

Background/Purpose: Pain is a hallmark of axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) and can significantly deteriorate patients’ health status. This analysis aims to investigate factors associated with pain intensity in a large sample of European axSpA patients.

Methods: 2,846 unselected patients participated in EMAS, an online survey (2017-2018) across 13 European countries. Data from 2,636 participants who reported pain were analysed. Pain was measured by the mean of two BASDAI questions (range 0 “no pain” to 10 “most severe pain”): “How would you describe the overall level of AS neck, back or hip pain you have had?” and “How would you describe the overall level of pain/swelling in joints other than neck, back, hips you have had?”. Linear regression analysis was applied to identify associations between pain intensity and sociodemographic factors, patient-reported outcomes [BASDAI (0-10), spinal stiffness (3-12), functional limitation (0-54), mental health using the 12-item General Health Questionnaire GHQ-12 (0-12)], work life, physical activity and comorbidities (N= 850).

Results: The mean age of the sample was 44 years, 61.4% were female, 49.4% had a university degree and 67.7% were married. The average reported pain intensity was 5.3 (±2.2); 76.2% reported pain intensity ≥4, with the greatest intensity reported by women (5.5 vs 4.9, p< 0.001), those not university educated (5.6 vs 5.0, p< 0.001), separated or divorced compared to singles (5.8 vs 5.2, p=0.004), and not physically active (5.7 vs 5.2, p< 0.001). In addition, employed patients who experienced work-related issues reported greater pain (5.2 vs 3.9) as did those who experienced/ believed they would face difficulties finding work due to axSpA (5.9 vs 4.3), and those whose employment choice was determined by axSpA (5.7 vs 4.9; all p< 0.001). Moreover, associations with anxiety (5.9 vs 5.0), depression (6.1 vs 5.0) and sleep disorders (5.9 vs 4.9; all p< 0.001) were also found. The multiple linear regression model showed that those with higher pain intensity reported at least one work-related issue (B= 0.65), difficulties finding work due to axSpA (B= 0.48), not having attended university (B=0.38), greater spinal stiffness (B= 0.29), being female (B= 0.26) and poorer mental health (GHQ-12; B= 0.10; Table 1).

Conclusion: Pain was most strongly associated with working life impairment, as well as with spinal stiffness. Pain was also associated with suffering from depression, anxiety and sleep disorders. Understanding how pain affects individuals and shared-decision making between rheumatologists and patients are essential for long-term disease management and preserving quality of life of axSpA patients.

Table 1. Regression analysis of the association of pain intensity (0_10 NRS) with demographic, socioeconomic and axSpA-related factors (N = 850)


Disclosures: M. Garrido-Cumbrera, None; V. Navarro-Compán, Abbvie, 5, Lilly, 5, Novartis, 5, Pfizer, 5, UCB, 5, Janssen, 5; C. Bundy, Abbvie, 2, Celgene, 2, Janssen, 2, Lilly, 2, Novartis, 2, Pfizer, 2; L. Christen, Novartis, 3; R. Mahapatra, None; S. Makri, None; C. Delgado-Domínguez, None; J. Correa-Fernández, None; P. Plazuelo-Ramos, None; D. Poddubnyy, AbbVie, 2, 5, 6, Eli Lilly and Company, 2, 5, 6, MSD, 2, 5, 6, Novartis, 2, 5, 6, Pfizer, 2, 5, 6, UCB, 2, 6, BMS, 2, 6, Roche, 2, 6.

To cite this abstract in AMA style:

Garrido-Cumbrera M, Navarro-Compán V, Bundy C, Christen L, Mahapatra R, Makri S, Delgado-Domínguez C, Correa-Fernández J, Plazuelo-Ramos P, Poddubnyy D. Factors Associated with Pain Intensity in Axial Spondyloarthritis. Results from the EuropeanMap of Axial Spondyloarthritis (EMAS) [abstract]. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2021; 73 (suppl 9). https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/factors-associated-with-pain-intensity-in-axial-spondyloarthritis-results-from-the-europeanmap-of-axial-spondyloarthritis-emas/. Accessed .
  • Tweet
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

« Back to ACR Convergence 2021

ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/factors-associated-with-pain-intensity-in-axial-spondyloarthritis-results-from-the-europeanmap-of-axial-spondyloarthritis-emas/

Advanced Search

Your Favorites

You can save and print a list of your favorite abstracts during your browser session by clicking the “Favorite” button at the bottom of any abstract. View your favorites »

All abstracts accepted to ACR Convergence are under media embargo once the ACR has notified presenters of their abstract’s acceptance. They may be presented at other meetings or published as manuscripts after this time but should not be discussed in non-scholarly venues or outlets. The following embargo policies are strictly enforced by the ACR.

Accepted abstracts are made available to the public online in advance of the meeting and are published in a special online supplement of our scientific journal, Arthritis & Rheumatology. Information contained in those abstracts may not be released until the abstracts appear online. In an exception to the media embargo, academic institutions, private organizations, and companies with products whose value may be influenced by information contained in an abstract may issue a press release to coincide with the availability of an ACR abstract on the ACR website. However, the ACR continues to require that information that goes beyond that contained in the abstract (e.g., discussion of the abstract done as part of editorial news coverage) is under media embargo until 10:00 AM ET on November 14, 2024. Journalists with access to embargoed information cannot release articles or editorial news coverage before this time. Editorial news coverage is considered original articles/videos developed by employed journalists to report facts, commentary, and subject matter expert quotes in a narrative form using a variety of sources (e.g., research, announcements, press releases, events, etc.).

Violation of this policy may result in the abstract being withdrawn from the meeting and other measures deemed appropriate. Authors are responsible for notifying colleagues, institutions, communications firms, and all other stakeholders related to the development or promotion of the abstract about this policy. If you have questions about the ACR abstract embargo policy, please contact ACR abstracts staff at [email protected].

Wiley

  • Online Journal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Permissions Policies
  • Cookie Preferences

© Copyright 2025 American College of Rheumatology