What is the clinical evidence from this study?

Study design: Cross-Sectional. Population: Chronic pain and hypertension (n=1031). Intervention: Hypertension vs. No hypertension. Primary outcome: Chronic pain (OR 1.039, 95% CI 1.018-1.060, p=< 0.0001).

December 15, 2020

The relationship between chronic pain, prehypertension, and hypertension. A population-based cross-sectional survey in Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia

Q: What are the key findings of this study?

Hypertension was significantly associated with chronic pain (OR 1.039; 95% CI 1.018-1.060; P<0.0001), whereas prehypertension was not.

Key Result

Hypertension was significantly associated with chronic pain (OR 1.039; 95% CI 1.018-1.060; P<0.0001), whereas prehypertension was not.

Study Design

Type

Cross-Sectional (n=1,031)

PICO

Population

1,031 general population adults (aged 18 years and above) in Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia, surveyed to explore the association between hypertension and chronic pain.

Exposure / Comparator

Hypertension vs No hypertension

Primary Outcome

Chronic pain — OR 1.039 (1.018-1.060), p=< 0.0001

Main Result

Odds Ratio: 1.039 (95% CI 1.018–1.06)

p-value: p=< 0.0001

Limitations

The temporality of the relationship between hypertension and chronic pain needs to be explored in future longitudinal studies

Abstract

Background: Chronic pain and hypertension are highly prevalent in both developing and developed countries. Although they may appear to be two separate phenomena, several studies in developed countries have found them associated at the population level. Studies in developing countries are scarce and association between pain with prehypertension are rarely explored. The objective of this study was to explore the potential association between prehypertension, hypertension, and chronic pain in a Saudi population.Methods: A cross-sectional general population-based study was conducted on a random sample of employees and university students over a period of 6 months from January 2016 to June 2016 in Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia. A total of 1200 general population adults (aged 18 years and above) were invited to participate in the study.Results: With a response rate of 85.9%, 1031 individuals were included in the final analysis. Among the general population of Al-Kharj, statistically significant association was found between age and chronic pain Odds ratio (OR) = 1.764 [95% C.I. = 1.391–1.927, P < 0.0001] and between hypertension and chronic pain (OR) = 1.039 [95% C.I. = 1.018–1.060, P < 0.0001], respectively. The association between prehypertension and chronic pain was not statistically significant (OR) = 1.211 [95% C.I. = 0.879–1.668, P = 0.243.Conclusion: Results of this survey suggests a statistically significant relationship between hypertension (but not prehypertension) and chronic pain. The temporality of the relationship between hypertension and chronic needs to be explored in future longitudinal studies.

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