Quantitative sensory testing in patients with neuropathic pain due to small fiber sensory polineuropathy

Abstract

Quantitative sensory testing (QST) is a potentially useful tool for measuring sensory impairment for clinical and research studies but there is still no consensus regarding the place of this evaluation in every day clinical practice. Our study included 15 patients previously diagnosed with neuropathic pain due to small fiber sensory polyneuropathy based on clinical and electrodiagnostic criteria.Variables were compared with an age matched control group of 7 healthy persons. We looked to pain severity rated on Visual Analog Scale and Pain Detect Questionnaire and we searched for correlations with sensory nerve conduction studies and parameters of quantitative sensory testing – thermotest, limits method. QST was a sensitive technique for evaluation of patients with small fiber sensory polyneuropathy. Score on Pain Detect Questionnaire has statistically significant correlation with values recorded for cooling detection threshold on QST, documenting sensory loss and A delta fibers dysfunction in the study group.

Keywords

• pain
• neuropathy
• quantitative sensory testing
• neurophysiology