netwOArk member Helen French et al. have published and analysis of pain. pain subgroups and pain medication use in a cohort in Ireland: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39358713/
This study found that medication use among a population
cohort of older adults with OA was generally low, and use
of different medication types is broadly in line with international
guidelines. By applying latent class analysis to
pain-related variables and common medications used for
OA in this cohort, we identified three clinical subgroups.
The two subgroups exhibiting higher pain levels demonstrated
poorer self-rated health and greater sleep disturbance.
Identifying factors associated with pain severity
and different pain medication usage may help to identify
more targeted pain management interventions.