Pain and participation in social activities in people with relapsing remitting and progressive multiple sclerosis

BACKGROUND: Differences in pain between subtypes of multiple sclerosis are understudied. OBJECTIVE: To compare the prevalence of pain, and the association between pain and: (a) pain interference and (b) social participation in people with relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis and progressive multiple sclerosis. METHODS: Participants completed the McGill Pain Questionnaire Short-Form-2, Pain Effects Scale and Ability to Participate in Social Roles and Activities-V2.0 questionnaires. We tested the association between multiple sclerosis subtype, pain severity, and pain interference/social participation using quantile regression. RESULTS: Of 231 participants (relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis: 161, progressive multiple sclerosis: 70), 82.3% were women. The prevalence of pain was 95.2%, of more than mild pain was 38.1%, and of pain-related limitations was 87%; there were no differences between multiple sclerosis subtypes. Compared to participants with relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis, those with progressive multiple sclerosis reported higher pain interference (mean (standard deviation) Pain Effects Scale; progressive multiple sclerosis: 15[6.0] vs relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis: 13[5], p = 0.039) and lower social participation (Ability to Participate in Social Roles and Activities T-scores 45[9.0] vs 48.3[8.9], p = 0.011). However, on multivariable analysis accounting for age, physical disability, mood/anxiety and fatigue, multiple sclerosis subtype was not associated with differences in pain interference or social participation. CONCLUSIONS: Pain was nearly ubiquitous. Over one-third of individuals with relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis and progressive multiple sclerosis reported pronounced pain, although this did not differ by multiple sclerosis subtype.