Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39121479›Full record

ArticleJournal of medical Internet research2024

Sex Differences in Pain Sensitivity in a Dutch Cohort: Cross-Sectional and Web-Based Multidimensional Study.

Rachel J H Smits, Selina E I van der Wal, Regina L M van Boekel, Hans Timmerman, Ewald M Bronkhorst, Diana Abrar, Kris C P Vissers, Esmeralda N Blaney Davidson, Monique A H Steegers

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of medical Internet research, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
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

9 authors.

Rachel J H SmitsDepartment of Anesthesiology, Pain and Palliative Medicine, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0003-1054-3087
Selina E I van der WalDepartment of Anesthesiology, Pain and Palliative Medicine, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0001-6899-9314
Regina L M van BoekelDepartment of Anesthesiology, Pain and Palliative Medicine, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0002-0962-2944
Hans TimmermanDepartment of Anesthesiology, Pain Center, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0002-6082-9043
Ewald M BronkhorstDepartment for Health Evidence, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0003-0953-8053
Diana AbrarDepartment of Anesthesiology, Pain and Palliative Medicine, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0001-7865-1813
Kris C P VissersDepartment of Anesthesiology, Pain and Palliative Medicine, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0002-2919-6356
Esmeralda N Blaney Davidson *Department of Rheumatic Diseases, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0003-3514-0313
Monique A H Steegers *Department of Anesthesiology, Amsterdam University Medical Center, location VU Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0003-0812-5089

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSex is an important factor influencing the development and treatment of chronic pain, but the extent of its influence is still unclear. Other demographic factors as well as nonpharmacological interventions might influence pain sensitivity differently in men and women.

objectiveIn this study, we aimed to investigate the influence of sex and other demographic, lifestyle, behavioral, clinical, and environmental factors on pain sensitivity in the Dutch population. Different films were used to investigate how they would impact pain sensitivity and what influence sex and other variables have on the effect of this simple intervention.

methodsWe performed a study consisting of 2 parts: (1) a cross-sectional research to investigate pain sensitivity differences between men and women and the influence of other demographic variables on the pain sensitivity in a Dutch cohort and (2) an internet intervention study to determine whether a short film could skew pain sensitivity.

resultsAll respondents filled in a web-based demographic questionnaire and were randomized into 4 groups. The control group filled in the Pain Sensitivity Questionnaire without watching a preliminary film. A cross-sectional analysis was performed in the control group (n=1746). The other 3 groups watched short films: one group watched a film with scenes of nature (n=2650), another group watched a film on laughing people (n=2735), and the last group watched a film on physically painful events (n=2708). Immediately after the film viewing, participants were directed to the Pain Sensitivity Questionnaire to measure their pain sensitivity. The Pain Sensitivity Questionnaire score was stated as a mean per question on the numeric rating scale from 0-1. The cross-sectional study revealed no significant differences between men and women but showed male-female differences in the Pain Sensitivity Questionnaire when specific background factors were present. Watching a short film had a positive impact on the pain sensitivity of the respondents who had chronic pain, with a higher effect observed in female respondents.

conclusionsScientists performing pain research need to account for factors that can influence the outcome of their study and be aware that these factors can be sex-dependent, and pain sensitivity should be analyzed accordingly. Even relatively small interventions such as watching a film can impact pain sensitivity, especially in respondents with current chronic pain. This effect can vary as well when different background factors are present. Our findings warrant further explorations of the possibilities that simple interventions bring for patients in personalized medicine.

trial registrationLandelijk Trial Register NTR-new NL8182; https://onderzoekmetmensen.nl/en/trial/29537.

Indexed as

InternetAdultAgedChronic PainCohort StudiesCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedNetherlandsPainPain ThresholdSex CharacteristicsSex FactorsSurveys and Questionnaireschronic paindigital interventionsDutch populationfilmindividualized caremobile healthpain sensitivitypain sensitivity questionnairepersonalized medicinesex

Identifiers

PMID39121479
PMCPMC11344183

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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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.