Turkish Journal of
GERIATRICS

Ankara Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi, Fiziksel Tıp ve Rehabilitasyon Kliniği, Ankara One of the most important problems encountered in geriatric population is the evaluation and treatment of pain. Pain is extensive and complicated problem in the elderly. The perception of pain may alter by aging. This study is planned to investigate whether any change occurs in pain perception of geriatric group which consists of people equal to and over 65 years old and who have physiologic changes due to aging. Geriatric subjects who had no important systemic and musculoskeletal system disease and did not use analgesic medication within previous weeks were selected for the study. 30 geriatric subjects with ages between 65 years and 86 years (18 female, 12 male) and 30 healthy controls whose ages ranged between 15 years and 48 years (18 female, 12 male) were included to the study. Fischer's tissue compliancemeter which is a semiquantitative measurement method was used in order to determine the pressure pain threshold. 18 tender points accepted by American College of Rheumatology (ACR) for fibromyalgia JFMS) in 1990 and 3 control points generally accepted an used in several previous studies have been evaluated. The mean values of 2 measurements were found and total myalgic score (TMS) and control point score (CPS) were calculated. The mean of TMS was 127.33 ± 24.4 kg/cm2 in geriatric group and 126.89 ± 28.4 kg/cm2 in control group. The mean of CPS was 20.23 ± 4.1 kg/cm2 in the geriatric and 20.20 ± 2.7 kg/cm2 in the control group. There was no statical difference between 2 groups in both TMS and CPS (p>0.05). In geriatric group TMS was 120.3 ± 25 kg/cm2 for females and 137.89 ± 20.3 kg/cm2 for males. There was a significant difference in TMS of females and males (p<0.05). In control groups TMS was 110.4 ± 22.9 kg/cm2 for females and 128.62 ± 18.71 kg/cm2 for males. There was a significant difference in TMS of the females and the males (p<0.05). When geriatric measurements were evaluated with in the geriatric group TMS, CPS values were not correlated with age. Pain scores showed statistical si9nificant difference between gender and in both groups pain threshold was lower in female gender (p<0.05).The results indicate that not a in but female gender influence pain threshold. We found that pain pressure threshold for the females was lower than the males in every age groups. Keywords : Pain, Pain pressure threshold, Elderly, Total myalgic score, Control point score