The PROMIS PI score is beneficial in estimating the variations in VAS pain scores, an analysis of the Journal, Orthopedics. The objective of the study was to determine the association of Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Pain Interference (PI) score with traditionally compiled visual analog scale (VAS) scores and to discover the impact of patient demographics on VAS and PROMIS PI scores.

A total of 215 patients of orthopaedic ambulatory clinics received VAS, PROMIS Physical Function (PF), and PROMIS PI questionnaires. Patient demographics were obtained. The association between PROMIS PI and VAS questionnaires was considered to be the primary outcome of the study. Further, identification of important predictors and strengths of association between PROMIS PI and conventional forms were made by using a statistical method of apparently independent regressions.

A significant relationship was noticed between PROMIS PI score and conventional pain and functional scores. Each standard deviation rise in PROMIS PI score helps in estimating a 16-point gain for pain-related VAS scores, a 6-point reduction in general health score, and an 18-point drop in satisfaction of function score. Moreover, every standard deviation rises in PROMIS PF score for black subjects estimated a decrease of 11 points for current pain, 10 points for pain during activity, 12 points for pain at night, 10 points for pain at rest scores. All these findings predict PROMIS PI to be a beneficial diagnostic pain measuring tool.