Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30349699›Full record

ArticleBritish journal of pain2018

A pilot study investigating whether quantitative sensory testing alters after treatment in patients with fibromyalgia.

Theresa Wodehouse, Kavita Poply, Shankar Ramaswamy, Saowarat Snidvongs, Julius Bourke, Hasan Tahir, Kristin Ullrich, Vivek Mehta

Open access · bronzeAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in British journal of pain, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
12citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
1.5field-weighted citation impact, top 18% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

12 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 22 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Tactile Detection in Fibromyalgia: A Systematic Review and a Meta-Analysis.Frontiers in pain research (Lausanne, Switzerland) · 2021
    Pooled it
  4. Article
  5. Review
  6. Article
  7. Review
  8. Cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis of conditioned pain modulation and pain in fibromyalgia: CPM as an effect modifier of pain changes over time.Physiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapy · 2024
    Article
  9. Clinical criteria and diagnostic assessment of fibromyalgia: position statement of the Italian Society of Neurology-Neuropathic Pain Study Group.Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology · 2023
    Article
  10. Article
  11. Review
  12. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Theresa WodehousePain and Anaesthesia Research Centre, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1686-1230
Kavita PoplyPain and Anaesthesia Research Centre, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, UK.
Shankar RamaswamyPain and Anaesthesia Research Centre, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, UK.
Saowarat SnidvongsPain and Anaesthesia Research Centre, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, UK.
Julius BourkeCentre for Psychiatry, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, UK.
Hasan TahirRheumatology, Whipps Cross University Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, UK.
Kristin UllrichAnaesthetic and Pain Management Department, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, UK.
Vivek MehtaPain and Anaesthesia Research Centre, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, UK.
Barts Health NHS Trust · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundFibromyalgia is a chronic musculoskeletal pain condition that is often associated with sleep disturbances and fatigue. The pathophysiology of fibromyalgia is not understood, but indirect evidence suggests a central dysfunction of the nociceptive modulating system. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether quantitative sensory testing detects a change in pain thresholds in fibromyalgia patient receiving pregabalin treatment.

methodsA total of 25 patients were recruited for the study and received routine pregabalin, but only 14 patients completed the treatment. Assessment of pressure pain thresholds and changes in conditioned pain modulation using ischaemic pain as a conditioning stimulus were measured at baseline and every 4 weeks for 12 weeks. Fibromyalgia impact questionnaire, PainDETECT and SF-12 were also completed.

resultsPatients with fibromyalgia demonstrated a less-efficient conditioned pain modulation at baseline. An efficient conditioned pain modulation was observed at 1 month and this was maintained until the final visit. Pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) showed a significant improvement from baseline. Patients also reported a similar magnitude of improvements in PainDETECT, fibromyalgia impact questionnaire (FIQ) and its impact on daily life and change in outcome for SF-12.

conclusionThis pilot study reports an increase in PPTs and improved conditioned pain modulation response after commencing pregabalin, which was maintained at 12 weeks, and this was supported by positive pain scores. Pregabalin is a licenced treatment for fibromyalgia in Europe, and its response to central sensitisation, particularly 'dynamic responses', has not been reported. We conclude that pregabalin has the potential to reduce peripheral and central sensitisation in patients with fibromyalgia, as measured using quantitative sensory testing.

Indexed as

conditioned pain modulationFibromyalgiaquantitative sensory testing

Identifiers

PMID30349699
PMCPMC6194975
OpenAlexW2804518553

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.