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Assessing Pain Intensity Using Photoplethysmography Signals in Chronic Myofascial Pain Syndrome
Author(s) -
Ye JingJhao,
Lee KuanTing,
Chou YingYu,
Sie HongHai,
Huang RuNan,
Chuang ChiungCheng
Publication year - 2018
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 - 10.1111/papr.12601
Subject(s) - photoplethysmogram , medicine , myofascial pain , myofascial pain syndrome , physical therapy , intensity (physics) , physical medicine and rehabilitation , chronic pain , anesthesia , alternative medicine , computer vision , computer science , pathology , physics , filter (signal processing) , quantum mechanics
Background Efficacy of pain assessment is the basis for effective therapy. Clinically, assessing pain is by subjective scale, but these methods have some shortcomings. Therefore, studies have been conducted on assessment of pain using physiological signals. Photoplethysmography ( PPG ) signals provide much information about the cardiovascular system. PPG ‐derived parameters ( PPG parameters) reflect nociceptive stimulation, and obtain an approximation of the R–R interval from the PPG period. The aim of this study was to evaluate PPG signals for assessment of pain intensity in chronic myofascial pain syndrome ( MPS ) patients. Methods This study recruited 37 patients with chronic MPS ; all of them were treated with electrotherapy and thermotherapy. The difference between pre‐ and post‐therapy PPG parameters, and the correlation between pulse rate variability ( PRV ) and heart rate variability ( HRV ) were determined. We also obtained patients' pain intensity scores by visual analog scale, visual rating scale, and Wong‐Banker face pain rating scale. Results Photoplethysmography and PRV / HRV parameters showed significant differences between pre‐ and post‐treatment. The variation trend of PRV was similar with HRV in heart rate, R–R interval, low frequency, high frequency, and LF / HF ; in addition, a high correlation between the parameters was observed either in pre‐ or post‐therapy. PPG parameters indicated increased sympathetic tone. Conclusion The results of the study indicated that PRV substituted for HRV in assessment of pain intensity in chronic MPS reflected parasympathetic nervous tone increase, and PPG parameters might reflect stress stimulation on skin.