To analyze pain in systemic sclerosis (SSc), especially its impact and coping strategies, compared with the reference painful inflammatory rheumatological condition, rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
We carried out a cohort study of consecutive inpatients with SSc and RA visiting three university hospitals. We analyzed pain, pain-related interference with daily life, pain catastrophizing, and attitudes, together with quality of life (QoL).
In total, 173 patients were included and 153 were analyzed: 82 SSc and 71 RA patients. Pain frequency did not differ between the two groups (60.8% and 73.1%, respectively), but pain dimension scores in SSc patients were not correlated with disease activity and were significantly lower than those in RA patients. A neuropathic component was associated with higher pain scores in both conditions. Pain was more frequent and more intense in patients with diffuse cutaneous SSc than in patients with limited SSc, but its impact was similar. Pain and its functional consequences interfered less with daily life in SSc than in RA, consistent with the lower expectations concerning the benefits of drug treatment in SSc. However, pain catastrophizing played an important role in both groups.
Pain intensity and dimension scores are lower in SSc patients, particularly those with limited disease, than in RA patients and are not correlated with disease activity. In both conditions, a neuropathic component is associated with higher pain scores and pain catastrophizing is frequent.