Title: Modeling improvement of pain and quality of life in

Title: Modeling improvement of pain and quality of life in

Title: Modeling improvement of pain and quality of life in osteoporosis patients
treated with teriparatide
Authors:
Marta Osca Guadalajara, Natividad Guadalajara Olmeda, Rosario Escartín Martínez
Corresponding autor: Natividad Guadalajara Olmeda e-mail: [email protected]
Department: Centro de Investigacion en Ingeniería Económica
Institution: Universitat Politècnica de València
Street & Number: Edificio 7J, Campus de Vera s/n
Zip Code: 46022 City: Valencia
Country: Spain
Speaker's Name: Marta Osca Guadalajara
Institution: Hospital Obispo Polanco
Street & Number: Avda. Ruiz Jarabo
Zip Code: 44002
City: Teruel
Country: Spain
Abstract
Objective
The aim of this study is to model improvement in health-related quality of life and pain in
patients with severe osteoporosis treated with subcutaneous teriparatide, a bone induction drug
that promotes bone remodeling.
Material and methods
A prospective observational study with 49 patients treated in the Pain Unit of Hospital Obispo
Polanco of Teruel (Spain). They were diagnosed with severe osteoporosis and treated with
teriparatide between April 2006 and February 2014. Ages ranged from 55 to 94 years, with a
mean age of 75 years.
Pain was assessed by the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), where 0-3 points was rated as mild
pain, 3-6 as moderate pain and 7-10 as severe pain. The pre- and post-treatment VAS values
were collected.
Health-related quality of life pre- and post-treatment was measured using the European Quality
of Life Questionnaire (EuroQol-5D).A regression analysis was done to obtain an explicative
model of factors age, treatment period and pre-treatment fractures, and the previous status of
the quality of life factors influencing improvement of pain and quality of life.
Results
After the treatment period, improvement in pain, measured by VAS, was observed in 82% of the
patients. The mean VAS value went from 5.42 to 3.47, with mean pain improvement measured
as 1.76 points.
Health-related quality of life measured by EuroQol-5D increased in 61.22% of the patients. The
mean health status value rose from 0.36 to 0.598 points.
VAS-measured pain improvement was modeled and showed significant pain recovery in the
patients with a higher VAS value before treatment. The remaining factors (age, treatment
period, previous treatments, previous and posterior fractures) did not explain this improvement
in pain. Another mathematical health-related quality of life model was obtained by using only
previous health status. However, the results of this model were less significant.
Conclusions
It is possible to quantitatively model improvement of pain and quality of life obtained using
teriparatide starting from the patients’ initial condition. The worse the baseline situation, the
more patients’ health improved.