Long-term consistency of clinical sensory testing measures for pain assessment

Pablo Bellosta-López, Víctor Doménech-García*, Thorvaldur Skuli Palsson, Pablo Herrero, Steffan Wittrup Mcphee Christensen

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)
41 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Background: Understanding the stability of quantitative sensory tests (QSTs) over time is important to aid clinicians in selecting a battery of tests for assessing and monitoring patients. This study evaluated the short- and long-term reliability of selected QSTs.

Methods: Twenty healthy women participated in three experimental sessions: Baseline, 2 weeks, and 6 months. Measurements included pressure pain thresholds (PPT) in the neck, upper back, and leg; Pressure-cuff pain tolerance around the upper-arm; conditioned pain modulation during a pressure-cuff stimulus; and referred pain following a suprathreshold pressure stimulation. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and minimum detectable change (MDC) were calculated.

Results: Reliability for PPT was excellent for all sites at 2 weeks (ICC, 0.96-0.99; MDC, 22-55 kPa) and from good to excellent at 6 months (ICC, 0.88-0.95; MDC, 47-91 kPa). ICC for pressure-cuff pain tolerance indicated excellent reliability at both times (0.91-0.97). For conditioned pain modulation, reliability was moderate for all sites at 2 weeks (ICC, 0.57-0.74; MDC, 24%-35%), while it was moderate at the neck (ICC, 0.54; MDC, 27%) and poor at the upper back and leg at 6 months. ICC for referred pain areas was excellent at 2 weeks (0.90) and good at 6 months (0.86).

Conclusions: PPT, pressure pain tolerance, and pressure-induced referred pain should be considered reliable procedures to assess the pain-sensory profile over time. In contrast, conditioned pain modulation was shown to be unstable. Future studies prospectively analyzing the pain-sensory profile will be able to better calculate appropriate sample sizes.
Original languageEnglish
JournalThe Korean journal of pain
Volume36
Issue number2
Pages (from-to)173-183
Number of pages11
ISSN2005-9159
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Apr 2023

Keywords

  • Humans
  • Hyperalgesia
  • Pain
  • Pain Measurement
  • Pain Perception
  • Pain Threshold
  • Referred
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Sample Size

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