The Clinical journal of pain
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Abdominal pain can be a debilitating symptom for youth with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs). Across various pediatric conditions, pain predicts adverse physical and mental health outcomes. Understanding mechanisms by which pain impacts outcomes is of critical importance to enhance the well-being of those with IBDs. Pain catastrophizing mediates the aforementioned relationships in other pediatric populations, but little research has examined its role in pediatric IBDs. Attention to the role of pain catastrophizing as a potential mediator in pediatric IBD is the important given unique elements of the pain experience for this population. This study aimed to examine pain catastrophizing as a potential mediator of the relationship between abdominal pain and adverse outcomes in youth with IBDs. ⋯ Findings are consistent with fear avoidance models and suggest that interventions directed at pain catastrophizing may be worthwhile in pediatric IBD populations, given catastrophizing-mediated relationships between pain and mental and physical health outcomes.
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Aromatase inhibitors (AIs), which potently inhibit estrogen biosynthesis, are a standard treatment for hormone sensitive early-stage breast cancer. AIs have been associated with substantial joint pain and muscle stiffness (aromatase inhibitor-associated musculoskeletal syndrome). However, the link between AIs and number of clinical pain locations and pain sensitivity are less well understood. The aim of this study was to compare longitudinal changes in clinical pain and quantitative pain sensitivity between women who did or did not receive AI therapy. ⋯ AI therapy was associated with increased diffuse joint-related pain and greater post-treatment pain sensitivity, potentially implicating central sensitization as a contributing pain mechanism of aromatase inhibitor-associated musculoskeletal syndrome worthy of future investigation.