ArticleClinical rheumatology2022
Sensory testing and topical capsaicin can characterize patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
Article in Clinical rheumatology, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.
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4 citing papers in PubMed, 9 citations in OpenAlex.
- Capsaicin as a Microbiome Modulator: Metabolic Interactions and Implications for Host Health.Metabolites · 2025Review
- Psychophysics of Pain: A Methodological Introduction.Pain management nursing : official journal of the American Society of Pain Management Nurses · 2023Article
- EEG-based sensory testing reveals altered nociceptive processing in elite endurance athletes.Experimental brain research · 2023Article
- PainVision-based evaluation of brain potentials: a novel approach for quantitative pain assessment.Frontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology · 2023Article
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Authors and funding
10 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.
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No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND
objectivesOur study aimed at examining the long-time inflammatory effects of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) as chronic immune-mediated disease on pain sensation and neuropathy development compared to healthy subjects (HS).
methodsWe used the quantitative sensory testing (QST) protocol of the German Research Network on Neuropathic Pain and Electroencephalography (EEG)-based contact heat evoked potentials (CHEPs) before and after topical capsaicin application. We recruited 16 RA patients in remission or low disease activity state (mean age: 59.38 years [± 10.18]) and 16 healthy subjects (mean age: 56.69 years [± 8.92]).
resultsThe application of capsaicin cream on the thigh provoked a stronger effect in HS for both mechanical and heat pain thresholds (MPT and HPT, resp.), according to the area under the receiver operation characteristic (AUROC) (HS: HPT: 0.8965, MPT: 0.7402; RA: HPT: 0.7012, MPT: 0.6113). We observed contrary effects regarding changes in CHEPs (HS: g*max = - 0.65; RA patients: g*max = 0.72).
conclusionAs the overall effect of topical capsaicin application was higher in HS for QST, we suggest the existence of a sensitization of TRPV1 channels in RA patients caused by long-time chronical inflammation, despite a lack of clinical signs of inflammation due to adequate treatment. The effect in CHEPs probably uncovers neuropathic symptoms. The effect of topical capsaicin on HPTs and CHEPs can act as a marker for the extent of sensitization and the development of neuropathic symptoms. Further studies are needed to prove if our proposed method can act as a marker for the success of anti-inflammatory treatment. Key Points • The effect of topical capsaicin may represent the extent of TRPV1 sensitization in rheumatoid arthritis. • The effect of topical capsaicin on the amplitude level of CHEPs can unmask neuropathic symptoms. • The effect of topical capsaicin on CHEPs and HPTs can show the long-term consequences and the treatment success of RA patients in remission.
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