Depressive Symptoms Associated With Musculoskeletal Pain in Inactive Adults During COVID-19 Quarantine

Longitudinal Trajectories of Depressive Symptoms Among Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis: The Role of Pain Intensity

BACKGROUND

Pain is the primary symptom of knee osteoarthritis (KOA), significantly associated with depressive symptoms. Whether the early pain intensity could distinguish different trajectories of depressive symptoms is not well understood among patients with KOA.

AIMS

To identify heterogeneous depressive symptoms trajectories among patients with KOA, and investigate the association between depressive symptoms subgroups and pain intensity.

DESIGN

Secondary analysis of a cohort sample.

SETTING

Three waves of data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study was collected in 28 provinces across China.

PARTICIPANTS

702 patients with KOA aged ≥ 45 years completed the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale biennially from 2011 to 2015.

METHODS

Latent class growth analysis was performed to identify the optimal trajectory shape and number of classes. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was conducted to compare pain intensity across the trajectories.

RESULTS

Four distinct trajectories were identified as follows: no depressive symptoms, highly stable, decreasing, and increasing. In multivariate analysis, compared with the "no depressive symptoms" class, patients in the "highly stable" class and "increasing" class were more likely to report moderate pain (p < 0.05) and severe pain (p < 0.05). In addition, there was no significant difference in pain intensity between "no depressive symptoms" class and "decreasing" class (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest important heterogeneity in depressive symptom trajectories among patients with KOA. Pain intensity could predict different depressive symptom trajectories in patients with KOA. Efforts to improve the depressive symptoms in patients with KOA must incorporate strategies to address pain.

Association of Musculoskeletal Pain With Sedentary Behavior in Public School Teachers: The Role of Habitual Physical Activity

BACKGROUND

Sedentary behavior has been associated with musculoskeletal pain in school teachers. However, our hypothesis is that physical activity practice could mitigate this association.

AIM

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship of musculoskeletal pain with high screen-based sedentary behavior among public school teachers and whether physical activity could mitigate this relationship.

METHOD

A sample of 246 teachers from 13 public schools were assessed (45.0 ± 10.4 years, 76.0% of women). Musculoskeletal pain was assessed using the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, screen-based sedentary behavior was measured considering the sum of screen time in television, computer, and smartphone/tablet, and physical activity using the Baecke habitual physical activity questionnaire. Binary logistic regression was used to verify the associations between high screen-based sedentary behavior and musculoskeletal pain in school teachers (Model 1-unadjusted; Model 2-adjusted by age, sex, and socioeconomic status; Model 3-variables of Model 2 + adjusted by physical activity).

RESULTS

High screen-based sedentary behavior was associated with pain in neck (odds ratio = 2.09; 95%confidence interval = 1.08-4.04), upper back (odds ratio = 2.21; 95%confidence interval = 1.07-4.56), and low back (odds ratio = 1.91; 95%confidence interval = 1.00-3.65). However, after inserting the variables, including physical activity, these associations were mitigated.

CONCLUSIONS

High screen-based sedentary behavior was associated with musculoskeletal pain in public school teachers. However, this relationship was mitigated after the inclusion of confounding variables, including physical activity.