Skeletal pain in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis: prevalence and course during raloxifene treatment in a prospective observational study of 6 months duration

ABSTRACTObjective: To assess the prevalence of skeletal pain in postmenopausal women before the onset of raloxifene treatment and the further course of pain during treatment in a naturalistic setting.Research design and methods: Prospective, uncontrolled, multicentre, 6‐month, observational study in Germany. Clinical, diagnostic and pain data were collected at baseline, 6 weeks and 6 months of raloxifene treatment from 3299 female outpatients with postmenopausal osteoporosis. Physicians assessed the presence or absence of back pain, joint pain and diffuse bone pain at each visit, perceived sleep quality and the use of analgesics. Patients assessed intensity and frequency of pain using a 100 mm visual analogue scale (VAS) and a 5‐point scale (from ‘rarely’ to ‘permanently’), respectively.Results: At baseline, patients had mean (SD) age 67.6 (9.3) years, 89.4% were reported to have reduced bone mineral density, 39.8% had pre-existing fractures and 93.4% had skeletal pain (physician assessment): 85.1% had ba...