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Quantitative sensory studies in complex regional pain syndrome type 1/RSD. (MCP Hahnemann University, Philadelphia, PA) Clin J Pain. 2000;16:340–344.
Author(s) -
Tahmoush Albert J.,
Schwartzman R. J.,
Hopp J. L.,
Grothusen J. R.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
pain practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 58
eISSN - 1533-2500
pISSN - 1530-7085
DOI - 10.1046/j.1533-2500.2001.1039_31.x
Subject(s) - medicine , allodynia , quantitative sensory testing , threshold of pain , anesthesia , sensory system , nociception , hyperalgesia , neuroscience , psychology , receptor
This study measured the warm, cold, heat‐evoked pain threshold and the cold‐evoked pain threshold in the affected area of 16 control patients and patients with complex regional pain syndrome type 1/RSD (CRPSD1) to test the hypothesis that allodynia results from an abnormality in sensory physiology. The cold‐evoked pain threshold in patients with CRPSD1/RSD was significantly decreased when compared with the thresholds in control patients (ie, a smaller decrease in temperature was necessary to elicit cold‐pain in patients with CRPSD1/RSD than in control patients). The heat‐evoked pain threshold in patients with CRPSD1/RSD was decreased significantly when compared with thresholds in control patients. The warm‐detection and cold‐detection thresholds in patients with CRPS1/RSD were similar to the thresholds in control patients. Conclude that the study suggests that thermal allodynia in patients with CRPS1/RSD resulted from decreased cold‐evoked and heat‐evoked pain thresholds. The thermal pain thresholds are reset so that non‐noxious thermal stimuli are perceived to be pain (allodynia).