European journal of pain : EJP
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Recent studies have indicated that low back pain (LBP) is common already in adolescence, but only few studies have evaluated the factors that determine LBP-related health care use at this age. ⋯ Approximately one out of six adolescents with LBP seeks medical care. Intensity of pain and daily activity limitations appear to be the main determinants of seeking care for LBP in adolescence.
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To investigate changes in heat pain threshold and modifications in heat pain processing during pregnancy and labour, seventy-six nulliparous pregnant women were enrolled in two studies. ⋯ In pregnant women, there is a progressive increase of heat pain threshold and a reduction of the CHEP amplitude, suggesting that a general inhibitory mechanism may be involved.
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Neuropathy can lead not only to impaired function but also to sensory sensitization. We aimed to link reduced skin nerve fibre density in different levels to layer-specific functional impairment in neuropathic pain patients and tried to identify pain-specific functional and structural markers. ⋯ Thermal thresholds, axon reflex measurements and assessment of skin innervation density are valuable tools to characterize and quantify peripheral neuropathy and link neuronal function to different layers of the skin. The severity of small fibre neuropathy, however, did not correspond to clinical pain intensity and a specific parameter or pattern that would predict pain intensity in peripheral neuropathy could not be identified.
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The withdrawal response elicited by a nociceptive stimulus, i.e., evoked pain measure, is commonly used as an efficacy endpoint in neuropathic pain animal models. It, however, has several limitations, which highlight the importance of examining spontaneous pain. The present study describes an automated method for measuring spontaneous pain behaviour in a rat model of neuropathic pain caused by chronic constriction injury (CCI) of sciatic nerve. ⋯ A non-subjective automated method for measuring spontaneous pain behaviour in an animal model of neuropathic pain was established. It is expected that the current system will greatly enhance the analysis of spontaneous pain-related behaviour, which is a predominant symptom in patients with neuropathic pain. The current system may also be valuable in the screening of potential analgesic treatments.