Background & Aims
Quantitative Sensory Testing -QST is a standardized method for measuring neuropathic pain through a combination of static and dynamic stimuli(1,2,3). Despite being considered one of the most reliable surrogates for measuring Fibromyalgia Syndrome -FMS, there are many controversies regarding how to correctly address the evoked responses, as they might differ according to the protocol adopted and other factors such as personal profile, severity of the disease, and the presence of other conditions (4,5). As a way to understand the potential of QST on FMS, we performed a scoping review to understand the diverse QST protocols employed in existing literature and analyze their methodology.
Methods
A literature search was carried out up to January 2024 in three main databases (Medline, Embase, and Web of Science), resulting in the selection of 110 studies. These studies will be extracted for a full reading and analyzed in terms of risk of bias, including for the final extraction only those with a low risk of bias. We considered for inclusion both randomized and non-randomized studies, and the data will be analyzed according to the study design.
Results
Data from the selected studies has still been extracted. For analysis, we will consider the method of QST measurement (i.e. parameters stimulus type, duration, intensity, temporal summation, and conditioned pain modulation – a centrally processed measure of the effect of the descending pain pathway). We expect to present the final results from those extractions during IASP.
Conclusions
We believe that understanding how QST has been measured through studies might shed light on the need to rethink how FMS has been measured and the need for a more careful watch on the results found.
References
Full protocol at DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/UN69V
References
1. Knezevic, Aleksandar, Milena Kovacevic, Milica Jeremic-Knezevic, Zeljka Nikolasevic, Snezana Tomasevic-Todorovic, Zeljko Zivanovic, Tijana Spasojevic, et al. 2023. “Patients with Neuropathic Pain from Lumbosacral Radiculopathy Demonstrate Similar Pressure Pain Thresholds and Conditioned Pain Modulation to Those with Fibromyalgia.” Neurophysiologie Clinique = Clinical Neurophysiology 53 (4): 102841.
2. Rehm, Stefanie, Juliane Sachau, Jana Hellriegel, Julia Forstenpointner, Henrik Børsting Jacobsen, Pontus Harten, Janne Gierthmühlen, and Ralf Baron. 2021. “Pain Matters for Central Sensitization: Sensory and Psychological Parameters in Patients with Fibromyalgia Syndrome.” Pain Reports 6 (1): e901.
3. Zucker, Noah A., Alex Tsodikov, Scott D. Mist, Stephen Cina, Vitaly Napadow, and Richard E. Harris. 2017. “Evoked Pressure Pain Sensitivity Is Associated with Differential Analgesic Response to Verum and Sham Acupuncture in Fibromyalgia.” Pain Medicine 18 (8): 1582–92.
4. Lage-Hansen, P. R., S. Chrysidis, M. Lage-Hansen, A. Hougaard, L. Ejstrup, and K. Amris. 2016. “Concomitant Fibromyalgia in Rheumatoid Arthritis Is Associated with the More Frequent Use of Biological Therapy: A Cross-Sectional Study.” Scandinavian Journal of Rheumatology 45 (1): 45–48.
5. Wilson, Abigail T., Charlotte Razzell, and William J. Hanney. 2023. “The Association Between the Patient Self-Report Survey for the Assessment of Fibromyalgia with Pain Sensitivity and Psychological Factors in Individuals with Musculoskeletal Pain.” Journal of Pain Research 16 (September): 3297–3308.
Presenting Author
Adriana Carneiro
Poster Authors
Topics
- Assessment and Diagnosis