Objectification of the Diagnostic Criteria for CRPS

The current diagnostic criteria for complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), codified by the International Association for the Study of Pain's taxonomy committee, and newer statistically derived criteria (the “Budapest” criteria), are both deliberately based on bedside testing. Designing criteria that are accessible to any clinician, not requiring any special equipment or training, is very important for clinical diagnosis. However, that approach, albeit pragmatic, forces a very heavy reliance on the subjective (not only the subjective response of the patient, but the subjective impression of the clinician). This is very problematic scientifically and statistically. Fortunately, with some new technologies and new approaches to old technologies, significant improvements can be made not only in terms of quantification, but also in allowing significant objectification of the diagnostic data. We will initiate a discussion of some of these potentially useful approaches.