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Updated: Jun 21, 2025
Chronic Post-Ischemia Pain Model for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Type-I in Rats
Published on: January 21, 2020
Chronic pain in multiple sites is associated with cardiovascular dysfunction: an observational UK Biobank cohort
Jing Tian1, Ziyuan Shen2, Brad A Sutherland3
1Cardiovascular Research Flagship, Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia.
Insights
Widespread chronic pain is linked to poorer heart health. More pain sites correlate with increased arterial stiffness and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), indicating a significant contribution to cardiovascular dysfunction.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Pain Medicine
- Public Health
Background:
- Chronic pain is a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
- The relationship between pain's extent and cardiovascular dysfunction requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the association between the number of chronic pain sites and cardiovascular dysfunction.
- To determine if widespread chronic pain contributes to arterial stiffness and impaired cardiac function.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of UK Biobank participants with baseline, follow-up, and imaging data.
- Categorization of participants based on the number of chronic pain sites (≥3 months duration).
- Measurement of arterial stiffness index, carotid intima-media thickness, cardiac index, and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).
Main Results:
- Increased arterial stiffness index was directly related to the number of chronic pain sites (n=159,360).
- Lower left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was associated with widespread chronic pain (n=23,899).
- No significant association was found between the number of pain sites and carotid intima-media thickness or cardiac index.
Conclusions:
- A higher number of chronic pain sites is linked to increased arterial stiffness.
- Widespread chronic pain is associated with poorer cardiac function, specifically reduced LVEF.
- These findings highlight chronic pain as a significant factor in the development of cardiovascular dysfunction.
Background:
Chronic pain is associated with development of cardiovascular disease. We investigated the association between how widespread chronic pain is and the development of cardiovascular dysfunction.
Methods:
We analysed data from participants enrolled in the UK Biobank study who underwent examinations at baseline, plus first follow-up and two imaging visits. Pain sites (including hip, knee, back, neck/shoulder, or 'all over the body') and pain duration were recorded at each visit. Chronic pain was defined as pain lasting for ≥3 months. Participants were categorised into six groups: no chronic pain, chronic pain in one, two, three, or four sites, or 'all over the body'. Arterial stiffness index was measured at each time point. Carotid intima-media thickness, cardiac index, and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were measured using ultrasound and heart MRI at two additional imaging visits in a subset of participants. Mixed-effect linear regression models were used for the analyses.
Results:
The number of chronic pain sites was directly related to increased arterial stiffness index (n=159,360; β=0.06 per one site increase, 95% confidence interval 0.04 to 0.08). In 23,899 participants, lower LVEF was associated with widespread chronic pain (β=-0.17 per one site increase, 95% confidence interval -0.27 to -0.07). The number of chronic pain sites was not associated with carotid intima-media thickness (n=30,628) or cardiac index (n=23,899).
Conclusion:
A greater number of chronic pain sites is associated with increased arterial stiffness and poorer cardiac function, suggesting that widespread chronic pain is an important contributor to cardiovascular dysfunction.
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