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Rheumatology Advance Access originally published online on March 14, 2003
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Rheumatology 2003; 42: 955-958
© 2003 British Society for Rheumatology

Osteoarthritis pain and weather

F. V. Wilder, B. J. Hall and J. P. Barrett

The Arthritis Research Institute of America, Inc., Clearwater, Florida, USA

Objective. To evaluate the association between weather (barometric pressure, precipitation and temperature) and pain among individuals with osteoarthritis (OA) (n=154) at the following sites: neck, hand, shoulder, knee and foot.

Methods. This prospective study evaluated men and women, aged 49–90 yr, participating in a community-based, osteoarthritis exercise study (June 1998–January 2002). Weekly self-reported pain scores were collected using a visual analogue scale. Statistical tests, including regression and correlation analyses, were conducted. P values < 0.001 were considered significant.

Results. The total number of pain recordings varied by site, ranging from 2269 (feet) to 6061 (hands). The mean temperature was 23°C with a low of 0°C and a high of 36°C. Precipitation levels ranged from 0.00–21.08 cm, with a mean of 0.36 cm. Most associations explored produced non-significant findings. However, among women with hand OA, higher pain was significantly associated with days of rising barometric pressure (P < 0.001).

Conclusion. Among a population of exercisers aged 49 yr and older, overall these findings did not support the hypothesis that weather is associated with pain. While some associations were suggestive of a relationship, largely these findings indicate that weather is quite modestly, if at all, associated with pain from OA.

KEY WORDS: Osteoarthritis, Pain, Weather.

Correspondence to: F. V. Wilder. E-mail: fwilder{at}preventarthritis.org


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