Study of Biological, Psychological, and Social Factors in Early-Onset Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain Including Juvenile Arthritis, Lupus, and Post-Surgery Pain in Youth Ages 14 to 26

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying adolescents and young adults aged 14 to 26 who have long-lasting muscle and bone pain or related conditions like juvenile idiopathic arthritis, lupus, scoliosis, or pectus excavatum. The study aims to identify at least two distinct types of chronic musculoskeletal pain that arise from different brain and immune system signals influenced by each persons biology, psychology, and social environment. The research also explores how inflammation affects nerve responses to pain and how mental, behavioral, and social factors relate to these pain groups. This is an observational study that does not involve any treatments or interventions. Participants are grouped based on their pain condition or history, including primary musculoskeletal pain disorders, inflammatory or autoimmune rheumatic diseases, and those who have had major musculoskeletal surgeries. The study collects information about childhood medical histories, past treatments, pain characteristics, pain sensitivity tests, and immune markers in the blood. Participants will undergo assessments such as conditioned pain modulation tests with pressure and heat, and temporal summation profiling to measure how their nervous system processes pain. The study also gathers data on psychological and social factors to understand risks and protections related to chronic pain development. Participation involves questionnaires and clinical evaluations without any experimental treatments, with the goal of better understanding different pain types over time.

The BRIDGE Pain Study