AEGiS-13IAC: The prevalence of pain in pediatric HIV/AIDS an its effect on quality of life as reported by participants in the pediatric late outcomes study (PACTG 219).

13th International AIDS Conference

Durban, South Africa - July 9-July 14, 2000

The prevalence of pain in pediatric HIV/AIDS an its effect on quality of life as reported by participants in the pediatric late outcomes study (PACTG 219).

Int Conf AIDS 2000 Jul 9-14; 13:(abstract no. MoOrB116)

Gaughan D, Gortmaker SL, 3rd Seage GR, Selwyn PA, Oleske JM
D. Gaughan, Harvard School of Public Health, 651 Huntington Ave., FXB604, Boston, MA 02115-6017, United States, Tel.: +1 617 432 0146, Fax: +1 617 432 2843, E-mail: Gaughan@sdac.harvard.edu

BACKGROUND: As new therapies dramatically extend the lives of people with HIV/AIDS, quality of life outcomes are of increasing concern. The prevalence of pain in people with AIDS ranges from 40 percent to 60 percent, depending on stage of illness and research methodology. There is limited research concerning pain in HIV-infected children and youth.

METHODS: The General Health Assessment for Children (GHAC), a quality of life survey, was administered to caregivers of HIV-infected children and youth enrolled in the Pediatric Late Outcomes Study (PACTG 219), an observational, longitudinal study of children. The GHAC is completed at six month intervals until twenty-four months of age and then yearly until the age of 21. Pain is assessed over the previous month with eight questions. Caregivers are asked to rate the child's level of distress with six possible responses ranging from "not at all " to "extreme." For the purpose of this analysis, we defined pain as the presence of pain of at least moderate intensity. General health is assessed with three questions regarding overall health, physical health, and emotional health. Responses are summed and scored on a scale of zero to 100 with 100 equaling the highest perception of health.

RESULTS: A total of 985 baseline surveys were completed for HIV-positive participants enrolled prior to but still on study on 1/1/96. The prevalence of pain was 19 percent (n = 189). CD4+ T-lymphocyte percentage was highly predictive of pain. Twenty eight percent of participants with CD4% less than 15%, reported pain and were 2.8 times more likely to report pain than those with CD4% greater than 25% (CI = 1.88-4.35). After adjusting for CD4%, age was no longer associated with pain. Participants reporting pain also had significantly lower general health scores than those reporting no pain (64 vs. 83, respectively; p value = .0001). Ethnicity or gender was not associated with pain.

CONCLUSIONS: Pain is a frequently encountered symptom in pediatric HIV/AIDS and predictors of quality of life are adversely affected by pain.

Keywords: AEGIS, Prevalence, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, HIV Infections, HIV Seropositivity, Pain, Life, Quality of Life, Pain Measurement, Longitudinal Studies, Data Collection, Child, Human, epidemiology, organization & administration
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