• The association between age at menarche and chronic pain outcomes in women: the Tromsø Study, 2007 to 2016 

      Lund, Charlotte I.; Engdahl, Bo Lars; Rosseland, Leiv Arne; Stubhaug, Audun; Grimnes, Guri; Furberg, Anne-Sofie; Steingrímsdóttir, Ólöf Anna; Nielsen, Christopher Sivert (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2022-03-01)
      Sex differences in chronic pain are well established with documented predominance in women. This study assessed relationships between age at menarche and chronic pain, site-specific chronic pain, pain characteristics, and chronic widespread pain (CWP). We used data from the Tromsø Study conducted in 2007 to 2008 and 2015 to 2016 (Tromsø 6 and Tromsø 7 waves) including participants aged 30 to 99 ...
    • A bidirectional study of the association between insomnia, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and comorbid low back pain and lower limb pain 

      Ho, Kevin Kwan Ngai; Skarpsno, Eivind S.; Nilsen, Kristian Bernhard; Ferreira, Paulo Herrique; Pinheiro, Marina; Hopstock, Laila Arnesdatter; Johnsen, Marianne Bakke; Steingrímsdóttir, Ólöf Anna; Nielsen, Christopher Sivert; Stubhaug, Audun; Simic, Milena (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2022-04-14)
      Objectives - To examine the possible bidirectional association between insomnia and comorbid chronic low back pain (LBP) and lower limb pain and to explore whether high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) amplifies these associations.<p> <p>Methods - We calculated adjusted risk ratios (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the development of insomnia and mild-to-severe chronic LBP and ...
    • Consistent pattern between physical activity measures and chronic pain levels: the Tromsø Study 2015-2016 

      Fjeld, Mats Kirkeby; Årnes, Anders; Engdahl, Bo Lars; Morseth, Bente; Hopstock, Laila Arnesdatter; Horsch, Alexander; Stubhaug, Audun; Strand, Bjørn Heine; Nielsen, Christopher Sivert; Steingrímsdóttir, Ólöf Anna (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2022-09-08)
      Epidemiological literature on the relationship between physical activity and chronic pain is scarce and inconsistent. Hence, our aim was to assess the relationship applying comprehensive methodology, including self-reported and accelerometer measures of physical activity and different severity levels of chronic pain. We used data from the Tromsø Study (2015-2016). All residents in the municipality, ...
    • Genetic variation in P2RX7 and pain tolerance 

      Kambur, Oleg; Kaunisto, Mari A; Winsvold, Bendik K S; Wilsgaard, Tom; Stubhaug, Audun; Zwart, John-Anker; Kalso, Eija; Nielsen, Christopher Sivert (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2018-02-20)
      P2X7 is a nonselective cation channel activated by extracellular ATP. P2X7 activation contributes to the proinflammatory response to injury or bacterial invasion and mediates apoptosis. Recently, P2X7 function has been linked to chronic inflammatory and neuropathic pain. P2X7 may contribute to pain modulation both by effects on peripheral tissue injury underlying clinical pain states, and through ...
    • Investigating the Burden of Chronic Pain: An Inflammatory and Metabolic Composite 

      Sibille, Kimberly T; Steingrímsdóttir, Ólöf Anna; Fillingim, Roger B; Stubhaug, Audun; Schirmer, Henrik; Chen, Huaihou (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2016-02-17)
      BACKGROUND. Chronic pain is associated with increased morbidity and mortality, predominated by cardiovascular disease and cancer. Investigating related risk factor measures may elucidate the biological burden of chronic pain. OBJECTIVES. We hypothesized that chronic pain severity would be positively associated with the risk factor composite. METHODS. Data from 12,982 participants in the 6th Tromsø ...
    • Longitudinal relationships between habitual physical activity and pain tolerance in the general population 

      Årnes, Anders; Nielsen, Christopher Sivert; Stubhaug, Audun; Fjeld, Mats Kirkeby; Johansen, Aslak; Morseth, Bente; Strand, Bjørn Heine; Wilsgaard, Tom; Steingrímsdóttir, Ólöf Anna (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2023-05-24)
      Physical activity (PA) might influence the risk or progression of chronic pain through pain tolerance. Hence, we aimed to assess whether habitual leisure-time PA level and PA change affects pain tolerance longitudinally in the population. Our sample (n = 10,732; 51% women) was gathered from the sixth (Tromsø6, 2007–08) and seventh (Tromsø7, 2015–16) waves of the prospective population-based Tromsø ...
    • Low pain tolerance is associated with coronary angiography, coronary artery disease, and mortality: The TROMSO study 

      Fladseth, Kristina; Lindekleiv, Haakon; Nielsen, Christopher Sivert; Øhrn, Andrea; Kristensen, Andreas; Mannsverk, Jan Torbjørn; Løchen, Maja-Lisa; Njølstad, Inger; Wilsgaard, Tom; Mathiesen, Ellisiv B.; Stubhaug, Audun; Trovik, Thor; Rotevatn, Svein; Forsdahl, Signe Helene; Schirmer, Henrik (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2021-11-03)
      BACKGROUND: The initial presentation to coronary angiography and extent of coronary artery disease (CAD) vary greatly among patients, from ischemia with no obstructive CAD to myocardial infarction with 3-vessel disease. Pain tolerance has been suggested as a potential mechanism for the variation in presentation of CAD. We aimed to investigate the association between pain tolerance, coronary ...
    • Neuropsychological functions of verbal recall and psychomotor speed significantly affect pain tolerance 

      Jacobsen, Henrik Børsting; Stubhaug, Audun; Schirmer, Henrik; Landrø, Nils Inge; Wilsgaard, Tom; Mathiesen, Ellisiv B.; Nielsen, Christopher Sivert (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2019-09-26)
      <p><i>Background - </i>Effects from cognitive performance on pain tolerance have been documented, however, sample sizes are small and confounders often overlooked. We aimed to establish that performance on neuropsychological tests was associated with pain tolerance, controlling for salient confounders. <p><i>Methods - </i>This was a cross‐sectional study nested within the Tromsø‐6 survey. ...
    • Pain tolerance after stroke: The Tromsø study 

      Melum, Tonje Anita; Årnes, Anders; Stigum, Hein; Stubhaug, Audun; Steingrímsdóttir, Ólöf Anna; Mathiesen, Ellisiv B.; Nielsen, Christopher Sivert (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel, 2023-05-11)
      Background: Stroke lesions might alter pain processing and modulation by affecting the widely distributed network of brain regions involved. We aimed to compare pain tolerance in stroke survivors and stroke-free persons in the general population, with and without chronic pain.<p> <p>Methods: We included all participants of the sixth and seventh wave of the population-based Tromsø Study who had ...
    • Pain tolerance in persons with recognized and unrecognized myocardial infarction: a population-based, cross-sectional study 

      Øhrn, Andrea Sofie Henriette Milde; Nielsen, Christopher Sivert; Schirmer, Henrik; Stubhaug, Audun; Wilsgaard, Tom; Lindekleiv, Haakon (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2016-12-21)
      <b>Background</b> Unrecognized myocardial infarction (MI) is a prevalent condition associated with a similar risk of death as recognized MI. It is unknown why some persons experience MI with few or no symptoms; however, one possible explanation is attenuated pain sensitivity. To our knowledge, no previous study has examined the association between pain sensitivity and recognition of MI. <b>Methods ...
    • The peer effect on pain tolerance 

      Engebretsen, Solveig; Frigessi, Arnoldo; Engø-Monsen, Kenth; Furberg, Anne-Sofie; Stubhaug, Audun; De Blasio, Birgitte Freiesleben; Nielsen, Christopher Sivert (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2018-05-19)
      Background and aims:<br> Twin studies have found that approximately half of the variance in pain tolerance can be explained by genetic factors, while shared family environment has a negligible effect. Hence, a large proportion of the variance in pain tolerance is explained by the (non-shared) unique environment. The social environment beyond the family is a potential candidate for explaining some ...
    • Physical activity and cold pain tolerance in the general population 

      Årnes, Anders; Nielsen, Christopher Sivert; Stubhaug, Audun; Fjeld, Mats Kirkeby; Hopstock, Laila Arnesdatter; Horsch, Alexander; Johansen, Aslak; Morseth, Bente; Wilsgaard, Tom; Steingrímsdóttir, Ólöf Anna (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2020-11-09)
      <p>Background - The relationship between habitual physical activity (PA) and experimental pain tolerance has been investigated in small samples of young, healthy and/or single‐sex volunteers. We used a large, population‐based sample to assess this relationship in men and women with and without chronic pain. <p>Methods - We used data from the sixth and seventh Tromsø Study surveys (2007–2008; ...
    • A population-based study of inflammatory mechanisms and pain sensitivity 

      Schistad, Ellina Iordanova; Kong, Xiang Yi; Furberg, Anne-Sofie; Bäckryd, Emmanuel; Grimnes, Guri; Emaus, Nina; Rosseland, Leiv Arne; Gordh, Torsten; Stubhaug, Audun; Engdahl, Bo Lars; Halvorsen, Bente Evy; Nielsen, Christopher Sivert (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2019-10-21)
      Two recent studies suggest that experimental pain sensitivity is associated with low-grade systemic inflammation. However, only 2 biomarkers have been identified, and the studies were conducted in adult individuals where confounding effects of comorbid diseases cannot be excluded. We therefore tested associations between pain sensitivity and 119 inflammation-related serum biomarkers in 827 healthy ...
    • Possible opioid-saving effect of cannabis-based medicine using individual-based data from the Norwegian Prescription Database 

      Bramness, Jørgen G.; Hjellvik, Vidar; Stubhaug, Audun; Skurtveit, Svetlana (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2021-09-24)
      Some ecological studies have shown that areas with higher use of cannabis may have lower opioid use and fewer opioid-related problems. Newer studies are questioning this finding. Few individually based studies have been performed. Using data from the Norwegian Prescription Database, this study investigated the individual level effect of prescribed cannabis extract (Sativex®) in prescription opioid ...
    • Reduced heart rate variability is related to the number of metabolic syndrome components and manifest diabetes in the sixth Tromsø study 2007–2008 

      Azulay, Naomi; Bjørkholt Olsen, Roy; Nielsen, Christopher Sivert; Stubhaug, Audun; Jenssen, Trond Geir; Schirmer, Henrik; Frigessi, Arnoldo; Rosseland, Leiv Arne; Tronstad, Christian (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2022-07-14)
      Both diabetes mellitus (DM) and the metabolic syndrome (MetS) are associated with autonomic neuropathy, which predisposes to cardiac events and death. Measures of heart rate variability (HRV) can be used to monitor the activity of the autonomic nervous system (ANS), and there are strong indications that HRV can be used to study the progression of ANS-related diabetes complications. This study ...
    • To tolerate weather and to tolerate pain: two sides of the same coin? The Tromsø Study 7 

      Farbu, Erlend Hoftun; Rypdal, Martin; Skandfer, Morten; Steingrimsdottir, Olöf Anna; Brenn, Tormod; Stubhaug, Audun; Nielsen, Christopher Sivert; Höper, Anje Christina (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2021-09-09)
      It is a common belief that weather affects pain. Therefore, we hypothesized that weather can affect pain tolerance. This study used data from over 18,000 subjects aged 40 years or older from the general population, who participated in the Tromsø Study 7. They underwent a one-time assessment of cuff algometry pressure pain tolerance (PPT) and cold pain tolerance (CPT), tested with a cold pressor test. ...
    • Widespread hyperalgesia in adolescents with symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome: results from a large population-based study 

      Stabell, Niklas; Stubhaug, Audun; Flægstad, Trond; Mayer, Emeran; Naliboff, Bruce D; Nielsen, Christopher Sivert (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2014-06-03)
      Widespread hyperalgesia is well documented among adult patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), but little is known about pain sensitivity among adolescents with IBS. We examined pain sensitivity in 961 adolescents from the general population (mean age 16.1 years), including pain threshold and tolerance measurements of heat (forearm) and pressure pain (fingernail and shoulder), and ...
    • Working in a cold environment, feeling cold at work and chronic pain: A cross-sectional analysis of the Tromsø Study 

      Farbu, Erlend Hoftun; Skandfer, Morten; Nielsen, Christopher Sivert; Brenn, Tormod; Stubhaug, Audun; Höper, Anje Christina (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2019-11-11)
      <i>Aim</i> - The aim of this study was to investigate if working in a cold environment and feeling cold at work are associated with chronic pain (ie, lasting ≥3 months).<p> <p><i>Methods</i> - We used data from the sixth survey (2007–2008) of the Tromsø Study. Analyses included 6533 men and women aged 30–67 years who were not retired, not receiving full-time disability benefits and had no missing ...