Evidence map›Paper›PMID 23555810›Full record

ArticlePloS one2013

The onset of widespread musculoskeletal pain is associated with a decrease in healthy ageing in older people: a population-based prospective study.

Ross Wilkie, Abdelouahid Tajar, John McBeth

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 18 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
18citing papers in PubMed
3.5field-weighted citation impact, top 9% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

18 citing papers in PubMed, 46 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Trial
  2. Bidirectional relationships between pain and alcohol use among older adults: a scoping review.The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences · 2026
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  9. Mortality in Relation to Changes in a Healthy Aging Index: The Health, Aging, and Body Composition Study.The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences · 2019
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Ross WilkieArthritis Research UK Primary Care Centre, Primary Care Sciences, Keele University, Keele, Staffordshire, United Kingdom. r.wilkie@keele.ac.uk
Abdelouahid Tajar
John McBeth
Keele University · GBUniversity of Oxford · GB

Funding

Medical Research Council G9900220
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveChronic musculoskeletal pain is common in older adults but the nature of its relationship with ageing is unclear. The objective for this study was to test the hypothesis that the onset of widespread pain would be associated with a decrease in healthy ageing.

methodsPopulation-based prospective cohort study. A "healthy ageing" index was constructed across biomedical, physical, psychosocial and lay components. Analysis was performed with 2949 adults aged 50 years and over who had complete index scores at baseline, 3 and 6-year follow-ups.

resultsAt three and six year follow-up, 365 (16.8%) and 259 (14.3%) experienced the onset of widespread pain. The onset of widespread pain during the six-year period was associated with a 25% and a 46% decrease in healthy ageing index scores; this decrease was independent of age, sex, education, social networks, smoking status, alcohol consumption and physical inactivity. The decrease in healthy ageing attenuated to 20% and 39% following adjustment for diagnosed musculoskeletal conditions and analgesic and non-steroidal use.

conclusionsThe onset of widespread pain was associated with a decrease in healthy ageing throughout the six-year period. When pain increased over time, the markers of unhealthy ageing increased also. Strong analgesia was associated with unhealthy ageing. Research could now usefully test whether early identification, improved treatment and prevention of pain prior to old age may facilitate healthy ageing.

Indexed as

AgingAgedFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHealth StatusHumansMaleMiddle AgedMusculoskeletal PainPain MeasurementProspective StudiesQuality of LifeResearch DesignSurveys and Questionnaires

Identifiers

PMID23555810
PMCPMC3612101
OpenAlexW2027689330

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.