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The following is a summary of “Pace of Biological Aging Partially Explains the Relationship Between Socioeconomic Status and Chronic Low Back Pain Outcomes” published in the December 2024 issue of Pain by Aroke et al.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study to examine the pace of biological aging mediating the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and chronic low back pain (cLBP) outcomes, including pain intensity, pain interference, and physical performance.
They used the Dunedin Pace of Aging Calculated from the Epigenome (DunedinPACE) software to assess the pace of biological aging in adults aged 18 to 85 years. The study included 74 individuals with no cLBP, 56 with low-impact pain, and 77 with high-impact pain.
The results showed that the mean chronological age of participants was 40.9 years (SD = 15.1), with 51.7% (n = 107) being female and 52.2% (n = 108) being Black. On average, the pace of biological aging was 5% faster (DunedinPACE = 1.05, SD = 0.14), with a DunedinPACE value of 1 representing normal aging. Individuals with higher education had a significantly slower pace of biological aging (F = 5.546, P = 0.001). After adjusting for sex and race, household income correlated significantly with the pace of biological aging (r = −0.17, P = 0.02), pain intensity (r = −0.21, P = 0.003), pain interference (r = −0.21, P = 0.003), and physical performance (r = 0.20, P = 0.005). Mediation analysis, adjusted for sex, race, and body mass index (BMI), showed that the pace of biological aging mediated the relationship between household income and cLBP intensity, interference, and physical performance, but not education level.
Investigators concluded the lower SES might contribute to accelerated biological aging, potentially leading to increased cLBP intensity, interference, and decreased physical performance, suggesting that interventions aimed at slowing biological aging may improve outcomes for individuals with cLBP.
