Table 1.
Subject characteristics. Data for background variables are presented with median and range for all groups. Non-parametric statistics were used since there was an unequal distribution in the number of subjects between the CWP group and the other two groups, and since in many cases (e.g. body weight), the data were not normally distributed. The number of nicotine users is presented as the numbers and percent in group
| Control (n = 27) | Localised neck pain (NP, n = 35) | Chronic widespread pain (CWP, n = 15) | P-value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age [years] | 52 (25–61) | 49 (26–64) | 58 (41–65) | 0.029a |
| Height [cm] | 166 (158–180) | 167 (156–177) | 168 (153–177) −2 | 0.73a |
| Weight [kg] | 64 (50–88) -1 | 64 (51–100) −1 | 67 (55–110) −2 | 0.82a |
| BMI [kg x m2] | 23 (19–31) −1 | 24 (19–32) −1 | 24 (21–38) −2 | 0.59a |
| NRSday | - | 2 (1–6) | 3 (1–8) | 0.28b |
| NRSweek | - | 4 (1–8) | 6 (2–7) | 0.016b |
| Pain duration [months] | - | 42 (5–288) −1 | 222 (120–420) −1 | <0.0001b |
| Nicotine users [No.] | 4 (15 %) | 4 (11 %) | 3 (20 %) | 0.73c |
| Sampling timed | 15 M, 12A | 17 M, 17A−1 | 5 M, 9A−1 | 0.48c |
In the table, the superscripts −1 and −2 indicate the number of missing data for the variable and group in question. Thus, for example, information on body weight was only available for 26 controls
BMI Body mass index, NRS numerical rating scale 0–10. Statistical tests, p-value < 0.05 is considered significant
a Kruskal-Wallis test, b Mann–Whitney-U test, cChi squared test, excluding the cases when sampling time was not known. dSampling time is shown as morning (M) and afternoon (A)