Quantitative sensory testing in healthy volunteers: a pilot test of assessment methods

Abstract

Quantitative sensory testing (QST) is a measure of functioning of the somatosensory system. Its results have been associated with different pain trajectories and responses to treatment, having the potential to inform personalized treatment approaches. The aim of this pilot study was to test a set of QST measures and to provide a somatosensory characterization of the sample. Participants were 20 healthy volunteers (mean age = 39.95; SD = 10.78; 60% female), assessed on different QST parameters: mechanical detection threshold, temporal summation of pain, pressure pain threshold (PPT), and conditioned pain modulation (CPM). Two conditioning stimuli were compared for CPM: cold pack application (CPA) and cold pressor test (CPT). Data were log-transformed to achieve a secondary normal distribution, and thus, parametric statistics could be used. QST results were compared with reference values for gender and age group, through the associated 95% confidence intervals. There were no statistically significant differences between genders. All QST values were within the 95% confidence intervals of existing reference data. CPT resulted in higher pain inhibition than CPA (20% vs. 7% mean change) during CPM assessment. Correlation analyses showed that older participants had higher pain inhibition when CPT was used (absolute values: r = −0.615, p = 0.004; percent change: r = 0.604, p = 0.005). Furthermore, higher PPT was associated with less pain inhibition using CPA (absolute values: r = 0.447, p = 0.048; percent change: r = −0.526, p = 0.017). The study showed the acceptability of the selected QST tests by healthy volunteers and allowed comparisons of the somatosensory parameters with previously published results.

Keywords

• Sensitivity. Experimental pain. Quantitative sensory testing.