Chronic musculoskeletal complaints as a predictor of mortality-The HUNT study

The impact of chronic musculoskeletal complaints (CMSC) and chronic widespread chronic musculoskeletal complaints (CWMSC) on mortality is controversial. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between these conditions and mortality. In this prospective population-based cohort study from Norway, baseline data from the second Nord-Trøndelag Health Survey (HUNT2, performed 1995-1997) were linked to the comprehensive National Cause of Death Registry in Norway with follow-up through the year 2011. A total of 65,026 individuals (70%) participated and were categorized based on their response to CMSC questions in HUNT2 (no CMSC, CMSC, or CWMSC). Hazard ratios (HRs) of mortality during a mean of 14.1 years of follow-up were estimated using Cox regression. During the follow-up period, 12,521 subjects died, 5162 from cardiovascular diseases, 3478 from cancer, and 3881 from all other causes. In the multivariate-adjusted analyses, there was no difference in all-cause mortality between individuals with or without CMSC (HR 1.01, confidence interval, 0.97-1.05) and CWMSC (HR 1.01, confidence interval, 0.96-1.05). Similarly, there was no association between CMSC or CWMSC and cardiovascular mortality, mortality from cancer, or mortality from all other causes. Therefore, from this study, we conclude that there is no evidence for a higher mortality rate among individuals with CMSC or CWMSC.