Daily Pain, Physical Activity, and Home Fluid Intake in Pediatric Sickle Cell Disease

Abstract

Objectives: This study examined the temporal relationship between physical activity, fluid intake, and daily pain in children with sickle cell disease (SCD) with frequent pain.

Methods: A total of 30 African American children ( M age = 13.9; 53% female; 76.3% type SS) who reported pain more than or equal to once every 2 weeks and their parents completed measures of pain and anxiety/depressive symptoms. Children then completed a daily pain diary and wore a physical activity Actiwatch for 14 days at home.

Results: Contrary to physiological theory-based hypotheses, lower physical activity was associated with greater pain during the same day and the next day. Less pain was associated with greater physical activity the next day. There was no relationship between self-reported home fluid intake and daily pain ( p 's < .05).

Conclusions: Results lend support for a complex bidirectional relationship between physical activity and daily pain in pediatric SCD, and identify physical activity as a target for future research.

Keywords: adolescents; children; hematology; pain; physical activity; rehydration.