Dataset Information

Somatosensory abnormalities for painful and innocuous stimuli at the back and at a site distinct from the region of pain in chronic back pain patients.

ABSTRACT: Chronic low back pain (CLBP) was shown to be associated with pathophysiological changes at several levels of the sensorimotor system. Changes in sensory thresholds have been reported but complete profiles of Quantitative Sensory Testing (QST) were only rarely obtained in CLBP patients. The aim of the present study was to investigate comprehensive QST profiles in CLBP at the painful site (back) and at a site distinct from their painful region (hand) and to compare these data with similar data in healthy controls. We found increased detection thresholds in CLBP patients compared to healthy controls for all innocuous stimuli at the back and extraterritorial to the painful region at the hand. Additionally, CLBP patients showed decreased pain thresholds at both sites. Importantly, there was no interaction between the investigated site and group, i.e. thresholds were changed both at the affected body site and for the site distinct from the painful region (hand). Our results demonstrate severe, widespread changes in somatosensory sensitivity in CLBP patients. These widespread changes point to alterations at higher levels of the neuraxis or/and to a vulnerability to nociceptive plasticity in CLBP patients.

SUBMITTER: Puta C

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3598908 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Somatosensory abnormalities for painful and innocuous stimuli at the back and at a site distinct from the region of pain in chronic back pain patients.

Puta Christian C Schulz Birgit B Schoeler Saskia S Magerl Walter W Gabriel Brunhild B Gabriel Holger H W HH Miltner Wolfgang H R WH Weiss Thomas T

PloS one 20130315 3

Chronic low back pain (CLBP) was shown to be associated with pathophysiological changes at several levels of the sensorimotor system. Changes in sensory thresholds have been reported but complete profiles of Quantitative Sensory Testing (QST) were only rarely obtained in CLBP patients. The aim of the present study was to investigate comprehensive QST profiles in CLBP at the painful site (back) and at a site distinct from their painful region (hand) and to compare these data with similar data in ...[more]

PMID: 23554950

Similar Datasets

Project description:BackgroundSomatosensory deficits and abnormal pain sensitivity are highly prevalent among stroke survivors, which negatively impacts their quality of life and recovery process. However, the factors for pressure pain threshold (PPT) and somatosensory abnormalities in post-stroke elderly remain unknown. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of age, side and other functional conditions, such as spasticity and motor functions, on PPT and sensory abnormalities among elderly after stroke.MethodsThe cross-sectional study finally included 43 post-stroke elderly aged over 60 and assessed the PPT of 14 bilateral muscles widely located in the whole body by using a digital force gage. Meanwhile, spasticity, motor function, joint pain and activity of daily living (ADL) were evaluated by the Modified Ashworth scale, Fugl-Meyer, and Barthel Index, respectively. All participants were divided into higher-aged and lower-aged groups based on the median age of all of them.ResultsHigher age tended to be associated with higher sensitivity but not significant except for one upper limb muscle, and the affected side showed significantly higher PPTs than the unaffected side in three out of seven muscles (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the somatosensory abnormalities in the affected side, particularly hypoalgesia, were more frequent in higher-aged than lower-aged patients in most assessed muscles. Meanwhile, patients with spasticity showed more increment of PPTs in affected muscles around the knee joint than patients without spasticity (p < 0.05). Patients with better motor functions, less joint pain and higher ADL performed less bilateral differences of PPTs than other patients in some muscles (p < 0.05).ConclusionsThe age and side differences of mechanical pain sensitivity were found among post-stroke elderly. Older patients show higher sensitivity in both sides compared with the younger ones, and the affected side of the elder shows more somatosensory abnormalities, particularly hypoalgesia, than that of the younger ones. Post-stroke elderly in good functional conditions, such as normal muscle tone, better physical function and daily activities, and less joint pain, seems to have more equal pain sensitivity between both sides than those in poor conditions.

Dataset Information

Somatosensory abnormalities for painful and innocuous stimuli at the back and at a site distinct from the region of pain in chronic back pain patients.

Publications

Somatosensory abnormalities for painful and innocuous stimuli at the back and at a site distinct from the region of pain in chronic back pain patients.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets