Prevalence and Intensity of Musculoskeletal (Joint) Pain in Patients with Hyperuricemia Among Population of Lahore
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61919/jhrr.v5i5.1917Keywords:
Hyperuricemia; Serum uric acid; Musculoskeletal pain; Joint involvement; Visual analogue scale; Metatarsophalangeal joint; Cross-sectional study.Abstract
Background: Hyperuricemia is a prevalent metabolic abnormality and may be associated with clinically relevant musculoskeletal symptoms even before classical gout becomes apparent; however, local data describing joint-site patterns and pain severity among hyperuricemic adults in Lahore remain limited. Objective: To determine the prevalence and intensity of musculoskeletal (joint) pain and assess its relationship with serum uric acid (SUA) levels among hyperuricemic adults presenting to tertiary-care hospitals in Lahore. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted over six months at Gulab Devi Hospital and Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Hospital, Lahore, enrolling 102 adults aged 20–60 years with elevated SUA levels. After informed consent, SUA values were recorded from laboratory reports and musculoskeletal pain was characterized by site (including MTP, ankle, knee, shoulder, wrist, MCP, cervical spine, and lumbar spine) and intensity using a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Associations between SUA and pain intensity and between SUA and joint-site involvement were evaluated using Pearson correlation (two-tailed). Results: Of 102 participants, 57 (55.9%) were male and 45 (44.1%) were female; 83 (81.4%) were from middle socioeconomic status. Knee (27.5%) and ankle (25.5%) were the most prevalent pain sites. SUA correlated positively with pain intensity (r = 0.564; p < 0.001). The metatarsophalangeal joint showed the strongest association with SUA among joint sites (r = 0.302; p = 0.002). Conclusion: Higher SUA levels were associated with greater musculoskeletal pain intensity, and MTP involvement demonstrated the most specific biochemical relationship, supporting focused joint assessment in hyperuricemic patients.
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