Ian A Boggero1,2, Marcia V Rojas Ramirez3, Christopher D King1,4. 1. Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio. 2. Department of Oral Health Science, College of Dentistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky. 3. Division of Oral Diagnosis, Oral Medicine, and Oral Radiology, College of Dentistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky. 4. Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Mental, emotional, physical, and general fatigue, as well as vigor, have each been associated with pain interference-defined as pain-related disruption of social, recreational, and work-related activities-in patients with chronic orofacial pain (COFP). The objectives of the current study were to compare levels of these fatigue subtypes across younger, middle-aged, and older patients with COFP and test the associations between fatigue subtypes and pain interference in these age groups. DESIGN: A cross-sectional cohort design was used. SETTING: Participants self-reported fatigue subtypes (Multidimensional Fatigue Symptom Inventory-Short Form), pain interference (West Haven-Yale Multidimensional Pain Inventory), pain intensity (visual analog scale), pain duration (months), depression (Symptom Checklist 90-Revised), and sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) at their initial appointment at a tertiary orofacial pain clinic. SUBJECTS: Sixty younger (age 18-39), 134 middle-aged (age 40-59), and 51 older (age 60-79) COFP patients provided data for the study. METHODS: Analysis of variance was used to compare levels of fatigue subtypes between the age groups. Regression with dummy-coding was used to test if the relationship between fatigue subtypes and pain interference varied by age. RESULTS: Older COFP patients reported less general fatigue and more vigor than younger or middle-aged adults. Fatigue subtypes were each associated with greater pain interference, but associations became nonsignificant after controlling for depression, sleep, and pain intensity/duration. Age group-by-fatigue subtype interactions were not observed. CONCLUSIONS: Managing fatigue may be important to reduce pain interference in COFP populations and may be accomplished in part by improving depression and sleep.
OBJECTIVE: Mental, emotional, physical, and general fatigue, as well as vigor, have each been associated with pain interference-defined as pain-related disruption of social, recreational, and work-related activities-in patients with chronic orofacial pain (COFP). The objectives of the current study were to compare levels of these fatigue subtypes across younger, middle-aged, and older patients with COFP and test the associations between fatigue subtypes and pain interference in these age groups. DESIGN: A cross-sectional cohort design was used. SETTING:Participants self-reported fatigue subtypes (Multidimensional Fatigue Symptom Inventory-Short Form), pain interference (West Haven-Yale Multidimensional Pain Inventory), pain intensity (visual analog scale), pain duration (months), depression (Symptom Checklist 90-Revised), and sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) at their initial appointment at a tertiary orofacial pain clinic. SUBJECTS: Sixty younger (age 18-39), 134 middle-aged (age 40-59), and 51 older (age 60-79) COFP patients provided data for the study. METHODS: Analysis of variance was used to compare levels of fatigue subtypes between the age groups. Regression with dummy-coding was used to test if the relationship between fatigue subtypes and pain interference varied by age. RESULTS: Older COFP patients reported less general fatigue and more vigor than younger or middle-aged adults. Fatigue subtypes were each associated with greater pain interference, but associations became nonsignificant after controlling for depression, sleep, and pain intensity/duration. Age group-by-fatigue subtype interactions were not observed. CONCLUSIONS: Managing fatigue may be important to reduce pain interference in COFP populations and may be accomplished in part by improving depression and sleep.