Relationship between the Widespread Pain Index and the PainMAP software for pain sites measurement in patients with Widespread Pain

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:

Identifying pain sites is essential to managing patients with Widespread Pain. Several instruments have been developed, including pain drawings, a grid system and computerized methods. However, it is not yet known whether the Widespread Pain Index matches an automated method (painMAP) for quantifying the number of pain areas. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the relationship between the Widespread Pain Index and the painMAP software to measure pain sites in participants with Widespread Pain.

METHODS:

A pre-planned secondary analysis of data collected from 311 patients with musculoskeletal pain was conducted. The Widespread Pain Index and the painMAP software assessed pain sites. Spearman’s correlation coefficient investigated the correlation between the Widespread Pain Index and the painMAP software.

RESULTS:

A total of 98 participants with Widespread Pain were included in this study. Most participants were female (67; 83.7%), with a mean age of 57,7±11,5 years, mean height of 1.6 (0.1) meters and mean weight of 73.2 (11.8) kilograms. The mean pain intensity was 6.7 (2.0), and the pain duration was 92.3 (96.3) months. The mean number of pain sites in the Widespread Pain Index was 10.1 (3.7), and in the painMAP software, it was 11.7 (8.8). A weak positive correlation (rho = 0.26, 95% CI 0.45 to 0.04, p = 0.022) between the Widespread Pain Index and the painMAP software was found.

CONCLUSION:

The Widespread Pain Index and the painMAP software showed a weak correlation for assessing pain sites in participants with Widespread Pain.

Keywords:
Chronic Pain; Fibromyalgia; Pain management; Pain measurement