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Which pain intensity scale from the Brief Pain Inventory correlates most highly with functional interference scores in patients experiencing taxane-induced arthralgia and myalgia?

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to assess which pain intensity dimension scale (worst, least, average, or current pain) from the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) correlates most highly with functional interference scores in patients experiencing taxane-induced arthralgia and myalgia.

Methods

Breast cancer patients scheduled to receive docetaxel, paclitaxel, or albumin-bound paclitaxel (nab-paclitaxel) were enrolled in the study. Patients completed an initial baseline questionnaire and subsequently filled out a diary based on the BPI on days 1–7, 14, and 21 for three consecutive treatment cycles. Pain scores for worst, least, average, and current pain intensity dimensions as well as pain interference scores were recorded in the diaries and questionnaires using the BPI. Worst, least, average, and current pain scores were correlated with functional pain interference scores using Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients. A general linear mixed model of each functional interference measure was performed over time for cycles 1–3 with each pain intensity dimension scale.

Results

Among worst, average, least, and current joint pain dimensions, average joint pain scores correlated best with all BPI interference responses while average muscle pain scores correlated best with all BPI interference responses except for sleeping probability and normal work.

Conclusion

We recommend the BPI scale measuring average pain for future studies evaluating pain scores in patients experiencing taxane-induced arthralgia and myalgia.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the generous support of the Bratty Family Fund, Michael and Karyn Goldstein Cancer Research Fund, Joey and Mary Furfari Cancer Research Fund, Pulenzas Cancer Research Fund, Joseph and Silvana Melara Cancer Research Fund, and Ofelia Cancer Research Fund.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sunnybrook Odette Cancer Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Nicholas Chiu, Liying Zhang, Leonard Chiu, Mark Pasetka, Jenna van Draanen, Ronald Chow, Henry Lam, Sunil Verma, Jordan Stinson, Erica Stacey, Edward Chow & Carlo DeAngelis

  2. North York General Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Daniela Gallo-Hershberg

  3. National Cancer Centre, Singapore, Singapore, Singapore

    Rebecca Dent

Authors
  1. Nicholas Chiu
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  2. Liying Zhang
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  3. Daniela Gallo-Hershberg
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  4. Rebecca Dent
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  5. Leonard Chiu
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  6. Mark Pasetka
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  7. Jenna van Draanen
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  8. Ronald Chow
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  9. Henry Lam
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  10. Sunil Verma
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  11. Jordan Stinson
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  12. Erica Stacey
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  13. Edward Chow
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  14. Carlo DeAngelis
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Edward Chow.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Appendices

Appendix 1 Daily diary questionnaire

figure a

Appendix 2

Table 4 Linear mixed model of each BPI item on different pain scores over time (cycles 1–3)
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Chiu, N., Zhang, L., Gallo-Hershberg, D. et al. Which pain intensity scale from the Brief Pain Inventory correlates most highly with functional interference scores in patients experiencing taxane-induced arthralgia and myalgia?. Support Care Cancer 24, 2979–2988 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-016-3106-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-016-3106-5

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