Background Chronic multiple-site joint pain (MSJP) is common in older people and associated with poor outcomes yet under-researched. 63 BMI 31?kg/m2. Median number of painful joints per patient was 6 (IQR 4-9; range 2-17); most common Laquinimod painful sites were knee (84?%) lower back (62?%) and shoulder (47?%). 194/201 (96?%) had an osteoarthritis (OA) diagnosis 155 (80?%) also had soft tissue pathology and 72?% had back problems. 85?% had OA at multiple sites. Upper and lower limb weakness was common (90 and 77?% respectively). Lower Laquinimod limb weakness was significantly associated with obesity. Only 26?% had received written information about their joints. Though 79?% had attended physiotherapy Rabbit polyclonal to AMPK2. the majority (93?%) had muscle weakness. Only 36?% of overweight participants had accessed weight-loss support. Half of those with foot pain had seen a podiatrist or used appliances. Multiple concurrent pharmacological therapies were used by 47?%. Conclusion MSJP represents a combination of OA back pain and soft tissue disorders; muscle weakness is extremely common. Therapies appear underutilised in people with MJSP. Identifying the reasons for this should guideline effective intervention research. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12891-016-1049-0) contains supplementary material which is available to authorized users. Keywords: Joint pain Multiple site Osteoarthritis Back pain Soft tissue disorders Therapeutics Background Musculoskeletal (MSK) problems are now the second most significant cause of disability worldwide with low back pain remaining the leading specific cause of years lived with disability and osteoarthritis (OA) considerably increasing in importance [1]. Huge epidemiological studies have got reported that chronic multiple-site joint discomfort (MSJP) is more prevalent than one joint complications in old adults and it is connected with poor final results [2 3 Elevated numbers of unpleasant joints relates to poor physical function [3 4 and elevated work impairment [5]. Regardless of the regular prevalence of MSJP as well as the linked poor final results the features of MSJP never have been well defined or researched. Of note there were few therapeutic studies in this field extremely. Nearly all MSK pain studies have involved choosing the single predominantly unpleasant joint whilst suggestions have centered on Laquinimod specific disease areas such as for example OA or back again discomfort [6 7 The potency of available therapies in people with MSJP is therefore not known. A recent survey of the approach of UK general practitioners (GPs) on pharmacological management of MSJP found that most did aim to treat multiple-site aches and pains concurrently using the same therapies for all those sites irrespective of diagnosis [8]. Although clinicians have long recognised MSJP the lack of characterisation and understanding of this condition and the lack of management strategies in the context of a rapidly ageing and progressively obese society makes this an increasingly important area for further research. The aim of this study was therefore Laquinimod to examine the detailed clinical characteristics of people with MSJP and their utilisation of therapeutic interventions. Methods Study populace and eligibility criteria Prospective participants were identified through the following sources: referral by general practitioners from primary care services; referral by physiotherapists from musculoskeletal services; identification by clinicians within secondary and tertiary care rheumatology musculoskeletal and orthopaedic clinics; patient public involvement organisations in West Yorkshire. Patients were screened via a telephone interview and those meeting the inclusion criteria were recruited. The inclusion criteria were patients aged 50?years and above having pain in at least one large joint and one other joint for more than six weeks within the last three months and capable of understanding and signing an informed consent form. The definition of a large joint area with this study included the spine shoulders elbows hips knees and ankles. Exclusion criteria included i) earlier analysis of a primary inflammatory arthritis including rheumatoid arthritis gout polymyalgia rheumatica or connective cells disease ii) earlier clinician-diagnosed fibromyalgia iii) a chronic medical condition requiring long term use of oral corticosteroids or immunosuppressants Laquinimod and iv) unable or unwilling to give educated consent. Ethics consent and permissions Honest.