Association between pain interference and motoric cognitive risk syndrome in older adults: a population-based cohort study

Abstract Objectives Motoric cognitive risk syndrome (MCR) is a pre-dementia condition characterized by subjective complaints in cognition and slow gait. Pain interference has previously been linked with cognitive deterioration; however, its specific relationship with MCR remains unclear. We aimed to examine how pain interference is associated with concurrent and incident MCR. Methods This study included older adults aged ≥ 65 years without dementia from the Health and Retirement Study. We combined participants with MCR information in 2006 and 2008 as baseline, and the participants were followed up 4 and 8 years later. The states of pain interference were divided into 3 categories: interfering pain, non-interfering pain, and no pain. Logistic regression analysis was done at baseline to examine the associations between pain interference and concurrent MCR. During the 8-year follow-up, Cox regression analysis was done to investigate the associations between pain interference and incident MCR. Results The study included 7120 older adults (74.6 ± 6.7 years; 56.8% females) at baseline. The baseline prevalence of MCR was 5.7%. Individuals with interfering pain had a significantly increased risk of MCR (OR = 1.51, 95% CI = 1.17–1.95; p = 0.001). The longitudinal analysis included 4605 participants, and there were 284 (6.2%) MCR cases on follow-up. Participants with interfering pain at baseline had a higher risk for MCR at 8 years of follow-up (HR = 2.02, 95% CI = 1.52–2.69; p < 0.001). Conclusions Older adults with interfering pain had a higher risk for MCR versus those with non-interfering pain or without pain. Timely and adequate management of interfering pain may contribute to the prevention and treatment of MCR and its associated adverse outcomes.