Rhythmic variations in pain perception in osteoarthritis of the knee
Bellamy, N.; Sothern, R.B.; Campbell, J.
Journal of Rheumatology 17(3): 364-372
1990
ISSN/ISBN: 0315-162X PMID: 2332859 Document Number: 363915
Twenty patients with primary osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee completed self-administered questionnaires probing pain severity on 10 occasions every day for 7 consecutive days. Rhythmometric analyses detected a significant circardian rhythm in pain in the majority of patients. Our data suggest that perceived pain severity varies substantially with time of day. These observations have important implications for the administration of pain questionnaires as outcome measures for clinical trials of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs in OA of the knee.