Healthy Aging in Relation to Chronic Pain and Quality of Life in Europe

R.M. Leadley*, N. Armstrong, K.J. Reid, A. Allen, K.V. Misso, J. Kleijnen

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Objective: To undertake a review of the most recent data on the relationship between quality of life (QoL) and chronic pain, as a basis for discussions about healthy aging in Europe. Method: A search was conducted to obtain studies on the relationship between pain severity and QoL and intervention studies reporting both QoL and pain severity in those with chronic pain in Europe. Medline and Embase were searched for observational studies and systematic reviews from 2009 to 2011. Four further databases were searched for systematic reviews and guidance from 2005 to 2011. Update searches for observational studies and systematic reviews for the period November 2011 to January 2013 were performed on Medline and Embase. Results: We identified 8 observational studies and 1 systematic review that generally showed a statistically significant relationship between pain severity and QoL. We identified 5 systematic reviews of interventions in chronic pain that summarized both pain and QoL data that generally showed both a statistically significant reduction in pain and statistically significant increase in QoL. Conclusion: There is strong evidence of a correlation between pain severity and QoL. There is some evidence that treatment in chronic pain patients can reduce pain and simultaneously improve QoL. Prevention and treatment of chronic pain may be of significant help in reaching the aim to increase the healthy lifespan.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)547-558
Number of pages12
JournalPain Practice
Volume14
Issue number6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jul 2014

Keywords

  • chronic pain
  • quality of life
  • aging
  • pain treatment
  • Europe
  • review
  • systematic review
  • CROSS-SECTIONAL SURVEY
  • RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED-TRIALS
  • FIBROMYALGIA SYNDROME
  • PSYCHOLOGICAL-FACTORS
  • TREATMENT PATTERNS
  • STATE IMPAIRMENT
  • NEUROPATHIC PAIN
  • PERSISTENT PAIN
  • METAANALYSIS
  • EFFICACY

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