Fracture and non-fracture pain in children with osteogenesis imperfecta.

Aim: To describe and compare the characteristics of acute fracture and chronic non-fracture pain in children with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI).

Methods: A questionnaire about fracture-related pain and prospective 7-d diary about non-fracture-related pain was completed by a random sample of 35 children aged 5-18 from a UK national OI service. Main outcome measures included pain intensity, location, frequency, quality, coping strategies and analgesia use.

Results: Most children reported moderate to severe pain associated with fractures and less intense non-fracture pain (p<0.001). Pain intensity was significantly higher in the children who used analgesics (p<0.001). The quality of fracture and non-fracture pain differed only for affective words, which were less frequently used to describe non-fracture pain (p=0.002). More activities of daily living (ADLs) were affected by fracture pain than by non-fracture pain (p<0.001). Children reported more frequent use of approach coping strategies with fracture pain and more frequent use of distraction for non-fracture pain (p<0.01). There were no differences in non-fracture pain intensity, duration, quality, effect on ADLs or coping between children who did or did not take bisphosphonates.

Conclusions: Pain is a common occurrence for children with OI and is both acute and chronic in nature, interfering with children's daily living activities. OI pain may not be optimally treated because many children experienced moderate to severe pain despite use of analgesics and/or coping strategies.