Moving from evidence to practice: Models of care for the prevention and management of musculoskeletal conditions

With musculoskeletal conditions now identified as the second highest cause of the morbidity-related global burden of disease, models of care for the prevention and management of disability related to musculoskeletal conditions are an imperative. Musculoskeletal models of care aim to describe how to operationalise evidence-based guidelines for musculoskeletal conditions and thus support implementation by clinical teams and their health systems. This review of models of care for musculoskeletal pain conditions, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis and musculoskeletal injuries and trauma outlines health system and local implementation strategies to improve consumer outcomes, including supporting access to multidisciplinary teams, improving access for vulnerable populations and levering digital technologies to support access and self-management. However, the challenge remains of how to inform health system decision-makers and policy about the human and fiscal benefits for broad implementation across health services. Recommendations are made for potential solutions, as well as highlighting where further evidence is required.     

The prevalence,risk factors,prognosis and treatment for back pain in children and adolescents: An overview of systematic reviews

Emerging data suggest that back pain in adolescents is responsible for a substantial disability burden and consumes considerable healthcare services. Of further concern is the fact that back pain during this period of life may have health implications in adulthood. Given this, understanding the epidemiology and clinical evidence base relevant to clinicians and researchers in the field of musculoskeletal health is crucial. This chapter provides an overview and synthesis of systematic reviews that address important questions related to back pain in children and adolescents:

• •What is the prevalence of back pain in children and adolescents?
• •What are the risk factors?
• •What is the clinical course and what are the prognostic factors?
• •Which are the most effective preventative interventions and clinical treatments?

     

Efficacy of rehabilitative therapy in regional musculoskeletal conditions

This chapter reviews the best evidence for the rehabilitation of regional musculoskeletal conditions. Evidence-based efficacy of different modalities for treatment of musculoskeletal pain is presented, and the value of the patient's active participation in the rehabilitation programme is emphasized. The following modalities are commonly included in the holistic approach to patient-centred care and are reviewed: exercise therapy, thermotherapy, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), and alternative therapies such as acupuncture, massage and yoga. A review of cognitive-behavioural strategies in pain management to prevent or treat fear-avoidance behaviour is also presented. Furthermore, the application of biomechanics in treating and preventing musculoskeletal disorders is illustrated. Moreover, the evidence for pain self-management to improve symptoms, health status and decrease the utilization of health care resources and cost is outlined. Finally, an overview will be presented, concerning the application of the evidence for treatment modalities to patient care, with focus on patient-centred, holistic treatment in a supportive setting. The following key questions/issues are addressed. What are the relevant therapeutic modalities for musculoskeletal pain disorders? What is the evidence of efficacy of these modalities in regional musculoskeletal conditions? What is the importance of understanding biomechanics? What is the importance of understanding fear-avoidance beliefs? What is the evidence for 'alternative' therapies such as acupuncture, massage or yoga? What is the evidence for 'pain self-management?' How does one apply the evidence for rehabilitation in regional musculoskeletal conditions into clinical practice?     

Quality of life in chronic musculoskeletal pain

This chapter reviews the impact of chronic musculoskeletal pain on patients' health-related quality of life. In addition to the physical health consequences, chronic musculoskeletal pain can have a profound negative impact on an individual's emotional and social well-being. Although efforts in the health sector are obviously of crucial importance in the management of chronic musculoskeletal pain, a high level of patient and societal involvement is key to reducing the burden of this condition. Patients should work in partnership with health-care professionals, actively participating in their care. Family members should encourage their loved ones to be as independent as possible. The employer of a person with chronic musculoskeletal pain has a vital role in returning him or her to work as soon as possible. Removing all barriers to the use of preventive and therapeutic services will help us to reduce the burden of musculoskeletal pain conditions on both patients and society.     

Assessment and treatment of pain in children and adolescents

Pain is one of the most common and distressing symptoms experienced by children and adolescents with juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Pain is known to negatively affect all aspects of health-related quality of life, including physical, emotional, social, and role functioning. The valid and reliable assessment of pain is the first critical step to developing an effective plan for pain management. This chapter will address the following key questions:

• (1)What is the prevalence and impact of pain in children and adolescents with arthritis?
• (2)Why is it important for clinicians to assess the multidimensional nature of pain and what are the practical issues that should be considered?
• (3)What tools are available to help clinicians to assess pain?
• (4)How can Internet and mobile technologies be used to improve the assessment of pain?
• (5)What are the recommended strategies for clinically managing pain, including pharmacological, physical, and psychological approaches?

     

Clinical Policy Recommendations from the VHA State-of-the-Art Conference on Non-Pharmacological Approaches to Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain

As a large national healthcare system, Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is ideally suited to build on its work to date and develop a safe, evidence-based, and comprehensive approach to the care of chronic musculoskeletal pain conditions that de-emphasizes opioid use and emphasizes non-pharmacological strategies. The VHA Office of Health Services Research and Development (HSR&;D) held a state-of-the-art (SOTA) conference titled “Non-pharmacological Approaches to Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain Management” in November 2016. Goals of the conference were (1) to establish consensus on the current state of evidence regarding non-pharmacological approaches to chronic musculoskeletal pain to inform VHA policy in this area and (2) to begin to identify priorities for the future VHA research agenda. Workgroups were established and asked to reach consensus recommendations on clinical and research priorities for the following treatment strategies: psychological/behavioral therapies, exercise/movement therapies, manual therapies, and models for delivering multimodal pain care. Participants in the SOTA identified nine non-pharmacological therapies with sufficient evidence to be implemented across the VHA system as part of pain care. Participants further recommended that effective integration of these non-pharmacological approaches across the VHA and especially into VHA primary care, pain care, and mental health settings should be a priority, and that these treatments should be offered early in the course of pain treatment and delivered in a team-based, multimodal treatment setting concurrently with active self-care and self-management approaches. In addition, we recommend that VHA leadership and policy makers systematically address the barriers to implementation of these approaches by expanding opportunities for clinician and veteran education on the effectiveness of these strategies; supporting and funding further research to determine optimal dosage, duration, sequencing, combination, and frequency of treatment; emphasizing multimodal care with rigorous evaluation grounded in team-based approaches to test integrated models of delivery and stepped-care approaches; and working to address socioeconomic and cultural barriers to veterans’ access to non-pharmacological approaches.     

Assessment and management of pain syndromes and arthritis pain in children and adolescents

Chronic musculoskeletal pain, whether it is idiopathic or disease-related, is common in childhood. Pediatric rheumatologists and other pediatric health care providers must understand the epidemiology of musculoskeletal pain as part of childhood, diagnose pain syndromes in children and rule out rheumatic disease, and be willing to initiate treatment of pain in children and adolescents. Practitioners' ability to carry out these tasks is enhanced by an awareness of the biopsychosocial model of pain, which integrates biologic, environmental, and cognitive behavioral mechanisms in describing the causes and maintenance of children's pain. A growing body of research in rheumatic diseases, such as JIA, and idiopathic musculoskeletal pain syndromes, such as JPFS, highlights the importance of environmental and cognitive behavioral influences in the pain experience of children in addition to the contribution of disease activity. These influences include factors innate in the child, such as emotional distress, daily stress, coping, and mood, and familial factors, such as parental psychologic health, parental pain history, and the nature of family interactions. Addressing these issues, while providing aggressive traditional medical management, optimizes pain treatment and improves overall quality of life for children who have musculoskeletal pain.     

Physiotherapie und Bewegung bei Osteoporose und Folgeerkrankungen

Osteoporosis is defined by decreased bone strength and increased susceptibility to fracture. Fractures and their consequences are the clinical manifestation of osteoporosis. Acute and chronic pain, functional limitations including permanent impairment and the need for long-term care may be caused by osteoporotic fractures. The aim of osteoporosis treatment is to prevent fractures by bone strengthening. The aims of rehabilitation in patients with osteoporosis are to reduce pain, maximize the level of musculoskeletal function, particularly following fractures, decrease risk of falls and optimize quality of life and independence. Certain sports and exercises greatly promote skeletal development in children and adolescents and augment bone strength in adults. Physiotherapy and therapeutic exercise may relieve pain, increase musculoskeletal function and form an important part of fall management.     

Schmerzsyndrome des Bewegungsapparates bei Kindern und Jugendlichen

Chronic pain syndromes in children and adolescents are defined as continuous or recurrent pain without an underlying causative diagnosis and lasting for more than 3 months. It is estimated that every fourth child in Germany suffers from chronic pain with every twentieth suffering from extreme recurrent pain. The incidence of chronic pain in children and adolescents is increasing with headache, abdominal pain and musculoskeletal pain being the most frequent. The quality of life declines not only due to the pain but to relieving postural and psychological factors, such as fear and sadness. School attendance, social activities and hobbies are mostly affected. This review summarizes the background of chronic pain syndromes and introduces a multimodal therapeutic approach.     

Current considerations for the management of musculoskeletal pain in Asian countries: a special focus on cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors and non-steroid anti-inflammation drugs

Chronic pain is a complex problem that eludes precise definition and can be clinically difficult to diagnose and challenging to treat. In the Asia-Pacific region, prevalence estimates that chronic pain ranges from 12% to 45% of the population, with musculoskeletal, rheumatic or osteoarthritis pain making up the majority of the disease burden. Implementation of current management guidelines into routine clinical practice has been challenging and as a result, patients with musculoskeletal pain are often poorly managed. For these reasons, a multidisciplinary Chronic Pain Advisory Board of leading physicians from various Asian countries was convened to explore ways to improve treatment and compliance, especially among patients with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. We have identified a number of unmet therapeutic needs and prioritized initiatives with the potential to contribute toward a more integrated approach to chronic pain management. Key priorities included using evidence-based interventions as recommended by current guidelines, particularly those aspects pertinent to addressing treatment priorities in Asia (e.g., patient compliance), and the incorporation of cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors and non-steroid anti-inflammation drugs into the management algorithms for osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Treatment must be individualized for each patient based on efficacy, side-effect profile and drug accessibility. Further studies are required to examine head-to-head comparisons among analgesics, combinations of analgesics and long-term efficacy outcomes. Our increasing understanding of the problem combined with the promise of new therapy options offers hope for improved management of musculoskeletal pain in Asian countries.     

A package of primary health care services for comprehensive family-centred HIV/AIDS care and treatment programs in low-income settings

Particularly in resource-limited settings, HIV/AIDS is a family concern. Separate services for children and adults may make accessing care more difficult for families than services where family members can be cared for together. Implicit in comprehensive, family-centred approaches to care are the broader notions of longitudinal primary care and linkages to other services, including those based in communities. As highly-active antiretroviral therapy becomes more available, and the direct burden of HIV-associated morbidity diminishes, HIV-infected individuals require primary care that goes beyond exclusive management of HIV and related conditions, including preventive services and the management of common medical issues. The prevention of tuberculosis, diarrhoea, and, in endemic regions, malaria; the addressing of debilitating depression; cervical screening; and the management of chronic cardiovascular disease and its risk factors are all of benefit to patients accessing HIV/AIDS care. Packaging such services is an effective means both of standardizing care within a program and of ensuring patients receives a full roster of available interventions. As family-centred care models develop in resource-limited settings, the availability of evidence-based service packages such as presented here will help program designers prioritize available human and materiel resources toward those interventions that improve patients' global health and well being.     

Hypermobility disorders in children and adolescents

It is well recognized that many if not most children and adolescents attending paediatric rheumatology clinics will have a non-inflammatory origin for their complaints or disorder. Mechanical causes are frequently identified, and hypermobility or ligamentous laxity of joints is increasingly recognized as an aetiological factor in the presentation. Such conditions include 'growing pains', recurrent lower-limb arthralgia, anterior knee pain syndromes, and back pain. Studies of significant cohorts of such patients have now been published supporting the link of ligamentous laxity to particular symptom complexes. However, much disagreement remains as to the validity of hypermobility as an aetiogical factor. What seems clear is that not all hypermobile individuals will be symptomatic or indeed possibly have any risk for specific musculoskeletal disorders in later life. Screening tools such as the Beighton score are likely to be inadequate in many paediatric populations. Along with increasing recognition of these disorders in childhood and adolescence has been the development of a multidisciplinary management approach, which usually involves predominantly allied health professionals such as podiatrists, physiotherapists and occupational therapists. The challenge remains to interpret symptoms correctly as being related to the hypermobility and to predict why such children become symptomatic. The answer is likely to involve physiological and psychosocial factors. In addition, early identification and modification of risk factors may have major implications for subsequent prevalence of many adult medical disorders such as low back pain, chronic pain syndromes and degenerative osteoarthritis.     

Development of a tool for early referral of children and adolescents with signs and symptoms suggestive of chronic arthropathy to pediatric rheumatology centers

OBJECTIVE: To develop an easy, time-efficient tool to identify children and adolescents with signs and symptoms suggestive of chronic arthropathies, and to evaluate its interobserver reproducibility and reliability. METHODS: The instrument used standardized techniques as required for the development of health-related instruments, targeting parents of apparently healthy children and adolescents ages 1-16 years. A multidisciplinary team was involved in the design of the instrument. RESULTS: Each health professional generated 10-15 questions addressing musculoskeletal complaints that they considered to be the most relevant. A total of 60 questions were listed. During the reduction step, each health professional scored questions from 1 to 4 according to the question's relevance. The tool comprised 12 questions and was administered to the parents of 3 groups: patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA; n = 48), children with diffuse musculoskeletal pain (n = 39), and a healthy control group (n = 42). The JIA group achieved the highest scores, followed by the diffuse musculoskeletal pain group and the control group. Nine (18.7%) of 48 patients with JIA and 2 (5.1%) of 39 children with musculoskeletal pain had a score of 5. The interobserver reproducibility was confirmed. All 12 questions were included in the final version of the instrument. We determined that children and adolescents with a score > or =5 should be referred for a rheumatologic evaluation (cluster analysis and logistic regression). CONCLUSION: Our questionnaire seems to be a useful tool for the early detection of musculoskeletal problems in children that may need a referral for a rheumatologic evaluation.     

Management of musculoskeletal pain

Chronic musculoskeletal pain is a major public health problem affecting about one third of the adult population. Pain is often present without any specific findings in the musculoskeletal system and a strictly biomedical approach could be inadequate. A biopsychosocial model could give a better understanding of symptoms and new targets for management. Identification of risk factors for chronicity is important for prevention and early intervention. The cornerstones in management of chronic non-specific, and often widespread, musculoskeletal pain are non-pharmacological. Physical exercise and cognitive behavioral therapy, ideally in combination, are first line treatments in e.g. chronic low back pain and fibromyalgia. Analgesics are useful when there is a specific nociceptive component, but are often of limited usefulness in non-specific or chronic widespread pain (including fibromyalgia). Antidepressants and anticonvulsants could be of value in some patients but there is a need for more knowledge in order to give general recommendations.     

Cost of illness studies in rheumatic diseases

Knowledge about the economic burden of rheumatic diseases has progressed during recent years. In addition to the increasing number of studies published, the Economics Working Group of the Outcome Measures in Rheumatoid Arthritis Clinical Trial (OMERACT) Conference has produced substantial work to improve methodological standards for the economic evaluation of rheumatic diseases. Some of their preliminary results are presented in this review. Recent data have confirmed two main conclusions of previous studies: the total economic burden of rheumatic diseases is often more substantial than other chronic conditions, including cardiovascular diseases and cancer; and the impact of the disability caused by musculoskeletal diseases is significant on both direct (long-term care in osteoporosis for example) and indirect costs (productivity loss in chronic patients). Besides that, cost-effectiveness studies have provided valid information to improve disease management, especially for patients with rheumatoid arthritis or chronic low back pain.     

Management of acute musculoskeletal pain

The pain and disability associated with musculoskeletal conditions represent a significant and increasing health burden worldwide. Musculoskeletal conditions of acute onset and short duration occur commonly, affect all age groups, and are usually idiopathic. Successful management of acute pain is paramount if chronic pain conditions are to be avoided. This article focuses on interventions for five areas of acute musculoskeletal pain (acute low back pain, acute thoracic spinal pain, acute neck pain, acute shoulder pain and anterior knee pain). It summarizes the results of a multidisciplinary evidence review recently conducted by the Australian Acute Musculoskeletal Pain Guidelines Group.     

HIV and Africa's elderly: the problems and possibilities

Demographic changes and the increasing availability and coverage of antiretroviral therapy imply that the burden of HIV is shifting to older age groups in sub-Saharan Africa. However, very little is known about the burden of disease and the unique considerations required to adequately treat and retain older Africans. In this review, we summarize the epidemiological data on HIV prevalence among older Africans, and review progress and barriers to accessing treatment and care. The unique clinical considerations distinguishing the management of older HIV-infected Africans are summarized, with a focus on cardiovascular disease, neuropsychiatric conditions, oncologic illness, and musculoskeletal morbidity. The review concludes by suggesting opportunities for improving our knowledge about and management of HIV among older Africans, including prevention opportunities and potential technologies, including a polypill for reducing comorbidity in this under-recognized highly vulnerable group.     

High Blood Pressure in Children: Clinical and Health Policy Implications

J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). Hypertension is a global problem, affecting both developed and developing nations. In addition to being a major cause of morbidity and mortality, hypertension places a heavy burden on health care systems, families, and society as a whole. Despite evidence of an increasing prevalence of hypertension among youth, the consequences of early onset are poorly established and often overlooked. Childhood hypertension is often asymptomatic and easily missed, even by health professionals. Target organ damage is detectable in children and adolescents, however, and hypertension continues into adulthood. Additional strategies to improve cardiovascular health among children and adolescents are needed, including methods to achieve healthy lifestyles at home and in school, improved systems for diagnosis, and research on mechanisms and timing of interventions. The burden of hypertension in the young will continue to grow unless it is given the attention it deserves by policy makers, health care providers, schools, parents, and society. This report aims to increase awareness of the problem of hypertension in childhood. Recent reports on prevalence and target organ injury are discussed and health policy initiatives to improve blood pressure control are proposed.     

Shoulder pain at the workplace

Shoulder pain is among the most common of regional musculoskeletal complaints in the work environment. It is also a very common problem in the broader community. A challenge to health professionals working in this area is that only a small proportion of shoulder pain at work can be explained by conditions that are readily identifiable (such as rotator cuff disease) and can be adequately managed in a medical model. A greater proportion of shoulder pain at work cannot be understood in this way, and standard medical management is unlikely to offer the best chance of recovery. Furthermore, current research suggests that traditional work-related associations and risk factors only explain a minor part of the total problem and that ergonomic approaches focusing on primary prevention are also unlikely to adequately address the problem. This article examines recent research in the area of work-associated shoulder pain. It focuses on the recent literature examining classification of shoulder pain, and the assessment, management and prognosis of this challenging, regional musculoskeletal pain problem and argues for a more encompassing approach to its management.     

Pain syndromes in children

This review discusses the recent literature on pain conditions in children that should be of interest to rheumatologists. The focus of the review is therefore on musculoskeletal pains in children, particularly chronic or recurrent musculoskeletal pain. Articles that have a broader focus on pain are discussed when these are likely to be of general interest to rheumatologists. Chronic or recurrent pain in childhood is common and can be caused by a wide variety of conditions, several of which are discussed here. The importance of being able to measure pain in children has been emphasized repeatedly in the recent literature. With increased understanding of how to evaluate pain in children has come the recognition that pain in children is multifactorial and that even when there are obvious "organic" causes of the pain (such as arthritis), psychosocial factors are critical in how pain is perceived, and they influence the extent to which pain leads to dysfunction. There is also increasing evidence that cognitive-behavioral therapies are effective in managing chronic pain in children. The frequency of back pain in children is increasingly recognized, and the role of children's work and play, carrying heavy backpacks, and sitting for long periods of time at computers in causing back pain is of interest. The studies reviewed here add to an increasingly rich and informative literature on musculoskeletal and other chronic pain in children, and they help emphasize the importance of proper evaluation and management of pain in children.