Journal article
Pain Experiences and Prescription Pain Medications Among People With Selected Muscular Dystrophies in the Muscular Dystrophy Surveillance, Tracking, and Research Network
Muscle & nerve, Vol.72(3), pp.475-484
09/2025
DOI: 10.1002/mus.28460
PMCID: PMC12306532
PMID: 40546227
Appears in UI Libraries Support Open Access
Abstract
Pain is a recognized symptom of muscular dystrophy (MD), but little is known about prescription pain medications in this population. We describe pain experiences and pain medications prescribed for individuals with selected MDs using population-based surveillance data collected by the Muscular Dystrophy Surveillance, Tracking, and Research Network.
Pain and prescription data were abstracted from medical records for 1282 individuals with Duchenne and Becker (DBMD) MD during 2000-2015 and congenital (CMD), distal (DD), Emery-Dreifuss (EDMD), facioscapulohumeral (FSHD), limb-girdle (LGMD), and myotonic (DM) MDs during 2008-2016. Percentages of individuals prescribed pain medications for ≥ 6 weeks during follow-up were estimated. Logistic regression was used to examine associations with selected demographic and clinical characteristics.
Moderate pain was observed among 34% of all people with available pain scores and varied by MD type (13%-53%). Pain medications were prescribed for 31.1%-40.2% of people 20 years and older, but less frequently (< 15%) among people less than 20 years old. Among people prescribed pain medications, the first medication was typically a non-opioid (57%), but both non-opioid and opioid medication classes were prescribed during follow-up (34%). Pain medications were typically prescribed for longer than 1 year (> 85%). Impaired mobility had the strongest association with prescription pain medication.
The prescription of pain medication is common for people with symptomatic MD. Most people were prescribed only non-opioids. These data highlight pain management as a frequent component of MD care. Understanding modifiable factors associated with MD-related pain and effective interventions may help improve care.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Pain Experiences and Prescription Pain Medications Among People With Selected Muscular Dystrophies in the Muscular Dystrophy Surveillance, Tracking, and Research Network
- Creators
- Jonathan Suhl - University of IowaKristin M Conway - University of Iowa, EpidemiologyShiny Thomas - New York State Department of HealthSonja A Rasmussen - Johns Hopkins MedicineJames F Howard - University of North Carolina at Chapel HillNicholas E Johnson - Virginia Commonwealth UniversityPaul A Romitti - University of IowaKatherine D Mathews - University of IowaMuscular Dystrophy Surveillance, Tracking and Research Network (MD STARnet)
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Muscle & nerve, Vol.72(3), pp.475-484
- DOI
- 10.1002/mus.28460
- PMID
- 40546227
- PMCID
- PMC12306532
- NLM abbreviation
- Muscle Nerve
- ISSN
- 1097-4598
- eISSN
- 1097-4598
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Grant note
- CDC HHS
- Language
- English
- Electronic publication date
- 06/23/2025
- Date published
- 09/2025
- Academic Unit
- Neurology; Stead Family Department of Pediatrics; Epidemiology; Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Biostatistics; Neurology (Pediatrics)
- Record Identifier
- 9984833486702771
Metrics
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