The relationship between chronic pain and psychosocial aspects in patients with haemophilic arthropathy. A cross-sectional study.

Background: Pain is a major characteristic in haemophilic arthropathy. Identifying the psychosocial variables affected by pain can help when addressing these patients.

Aim: To assess the relationship between perceived intensity of chronic pain and joint damage, kinesiophobia, catastrophism, anxiety and perceived quality of life in adult patients with haemophilic arthropathy.

Methods: Multicentre cross-sectional descriptive study. Seventy-seven adult patients with haemophilic arthropathy were recruited. The usual and maximum pain intensity (Visual Analog Scale), joint status (Haemophilia Joint Health Score), Kinesiophobia (Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia), catastrophism (Pain catastrophizing scale), anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety inventory) and perceived quality of life (36-Item Short Form Health Survey) were evaluated. The correlation between usual and maximum pain intensity with quantitative variables was obtained with Spearman`s correlation test. Kruskal-Wallis one-way ANOVA analysed differences in perceived pain according to the severity and type of treatment, and development of inhibitors.

Results: The usual intensity of perceived pain correlated positively with catastrophism, kinesiophobia, and state and trait anxiety. The same results were obtained when analysing the maximum perception of pain. We found an inverse correlation between the physical component of perceived quality of life and usual and maximum pain intensity perceived by patients.

Conclusion: Psychosocial factors affect the painful experience of patients with haemophilic arthropathy. Pain intensity affects the quality of life of these patients.