Utility of the PROMIS Pediatric Pain Interference Scale in Juvenile Fibromyalgia

Area of Science:

• Pediatric rheumatology
• Clinical trial methodology
• Pain assessment tools

Background:

• Juvenile fibromyalgia (JFM) significantly impacts quality of life in youth.
• Accurate and reliable pain assessment is crucial for evaluating treatment efficacy.
• The PROMIS Pediatric Pain Interference (PPI) is a newer measure for pediatric pain, requiring validation against established tools like the Functional Disability Inventory (FDI).

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the utility and correlation of the PROMIS Pediatric Pain Interference (PPI) with the Functional Disability Inventory (FDI) in youth with JFM.
• To assess the responsiveness of the PPI and FDI to non-pharmacologic interventions for pediatric pain.

Main Methods:

• A clinical trial involving 40 youth diagnosed with juvenile fibromyalgia (JFM).
• Participants were randomized to either Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) alone or a combined CBT and neuromuscular exercise program (FIT Teens).
• The PROMIS Pediatric Pain Interference (PPI) and Functional Disability Inventory (FDI) were administered at baseline, post-treatment, and three-month follow-up.

Main Results:

• The PPI and FDI demonstrated significant correlations at baseline (r=0.51) and post-treatment (r=0.53).
• Both measures showed comparable improvements following the FIT Teens intervention (d PPI=0.87, d FDI=1.22, p<0.05).
• The CBT-only group did not show significant improvements in either PPI or FDI scores.

Conclusions:

• The PROMIS Pediatric Pain Interference (PPI) shows promise as a valid and responsive outcome measure for pediatric pain.
• The PPI may be suitable for use in non-pharmacologic treatment studies for pediatric pain conditions like JFM.
• Combined interventions, such as FIT Teens, appear more effective than CBT alone in improving pain interference and functional disability in JFM.