Frontiers in Pain Research (Feb 2024)
Beyond numbers: integrating qualitative analysis into quantitative sensory testing for neuropathic pain
- Martine Bordeleau,
- Martine Bordeleau,
- Matthieu Vincenot,
- Matthieu Vincenot,
- Miroslav Bačkonja,
- Yenisel Cruz-Almeida,
- Yenisel Cruz-Almeida,
- Yenisel Cruz-Almeida,
- Julia Forstenpointner,
- Lynn Gauthier,
- Lynn Gauthier,
- Lynn Gauthier,
- Lynn Gauthier,
- Serge Marchand,
- Serge Marchand,
- Catherine Mercier,
- Catherine Mercier,
- Don Daniel Ocay,
- Don Daniel Ocay,
- Michel PrudHomme,
- Michel PrudHomme,
- Hélène Ruel,
- Jan Vollert,
- Guillaume Léonard,
- Guillaume Léonard
Affiliations
- Martine Bordeleau
- Research Center on Aging, CIUSSS de l’Estrie-CHUS, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
- Martine Bordeleau
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
- Matthieu Vincenot
- Research Center on Aging, CIUSSS de l’Estrie-CHUS, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
- Matthieu Vincenot
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
- Miroslav Bačkonja
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
- Yenisel Cruz-Almeida
- Pain Research & Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida Colleges of Dentistry & Medicine, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Yenisel Cruz-Almeida
- Department of Community Dentistry & Behavioral Science, University of Florida College of Dentistry, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Yenisel Cruz-Almeida
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Julia Forstenpointner
- Division of Neurological Pain Research and Therapy, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany
- Lynn Gauthier
- Department of Family and Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
- Lynn Gauthier
- Équipe de Recherche Michel-Sarrazin en Oncologie Psychosociale et Soins Palliatifs, Quebec City, QC, Canada
- Lynn Gauthier
- 0Oncology Division, CHU de Québec-Université Laval Research Center, Quebec City, QC, Canada
- Lynn Gauthier
- 1Université Laval Cancer Research Center, Quebec City, QC, Canada
- Serge Marchand
- 2Département de chirurgie, Faculté de médecine et des sciences de la santé de l’université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
- Serge Marchand
- 3Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
- Catherine Mercier
- 4Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherche en Réadaptation et Intégration sociale, CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale, Quebec City, QC, Canada
- Catherine Mercier
- 5École des Sciences de la Réadaptation, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
- Don Daniel Ocay
- 6Critical Care, and Pain Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Don Daniel Ocay
- 7Department of Anaesthesia, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Michel PrudHomme
- 8Département de Chirurgie, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
- Michel PrudHomme
- 9Centre de Recherche du CHU-Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
- Hélène Ruel
- 0Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada
- Jan Vollert
- 1Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
- Guillaume Léonard
- Research Center on Aging, CIUSSS de l’Estrie-CHUS, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
- Guillaume Léonard
- 2School of Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3389/fpain.2024.1351602
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 5
Abstract
This article investigates the benefits of adopting qualitative and quantitative sensory testing (QQST) in sensory assessment, with a focus on understanding neuropathic pain. The innovative QQST method combines participant qualitative experiences with quantitative psychophysical measurements, offering a more varied interpretation of sensory abnormalities and normal sensory function. This article also explores the steps for the optimization of the method by identifying qualitative signs of sensory abnormalities and standardizing data collection. By leveraging the inherent subjectivity in the test design and participant responses, the QQST method contributes to a more holistic exploration of both normal and abnormal sensory experiences. This article positions the QQST approach as a foundational element within the Sensory Evaluation Network, uniting international experts to harmonize qualitative and quantitative sensory evaluation methods.
Keywords
