Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40551746›Full record

ArticlePain reports2025

Validity and contributions to pain from the central aspects of pain questionnaire in rheumatoid arthritis.

Stephanie Louise Smith, Vasileios Georgopoulos, Onosi Sylvia Ifesemen, Richard James, Eamonn Ferguson, Richard J Wakefield, Deborah Wilson, Philip Buckley, Dorothy Platts, Susan Ledbury and 6 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Pain reports, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing 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

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Observational
  3. Towards an individualised approach to pain management in inflammatory arthritis.Therapeutic advances in musculoskeletal disease · 2026
    Review
  4. 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

16 authors.

Stephanie Louise SmithPain Centre Versus Arthritis, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3365-0144
Vasileios GeorgopoulosPain Centre Versus Arthritis, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7195-4018
Onosi Sylvia IfesemenPain Centre Versus Arthritis, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4234-7905
Richard JamesSchool of Psychology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6644-7011
Eamonn FergusonPain Centre Versus Arthritis, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7678-1451
Richard J WakefieldLeeds Institute of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5352-8683
Deborah WilsonPain Centre Versus Arthritis, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom.
Philip BuckleyRheumatology, Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sutton-In-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom.
Dorothy PlattsIndependent Consultant, Nottingham, United Kingdom.
Susan LedburyIndependent Consultant, Nottingham, United Kingdom.
Ernest ChoySchool of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4459-8609
Tim PicklesCentre for Trials Research, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7743-0234
Zoe Rutter-LocherRheumatology Department, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8251-4037
Bruce KirkhamRheumatology Department, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom.
David Andrew WalshPain Centre Versus Arthritis, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6316-5692
Daniel F McWilliamsPain Centre Versus Arthritis, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0581-1895

Funding

Wellcome Trust 224257
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Introduction: The central nervous system (CNS) contributes to pain perception across musculoskeletal conditions. The central aspects of pain (CAP) questionnaire captures a single score associated with quantitative sensory testing (QST) evidence of CNS dysfunction validated in knee osteoarthritis. Objectives: Given the different pathophysiology of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an inflammatory polyarthritis, this cross-sectional study assessed CAP's psychometric properties and its association with pain in RA. Methods: Adults with RA were recruited from Nottinghamshire, London, and Cardiff. Participants completed CAP and reported pain using a numerical rating scale. A subgroup underwent additional assessments, including quantitative sensory testing (QST; Pressure Pain detection Threshold, Temporal Summation, Conditioned Pain Modulation), Disease Activity Score-28, C-reactive protein, questionnaires addressing pain and related characteristics, and Central Sensitization Inventory short form (CSI-9). Cronbach alpha, confirmatory factor (CFA), and Rasch measurement theory assessed CAP's reliability and validity. Multivariable linear regression modelled contributions to pain by inflammation indices and CAP or CSI-9. Results: The 380 participants (73% female, median 63 years) reported average pain over the past 4 weeks of 6/10 and a CAP score of 9/16. Central aspects of pain demonstrated acceptable reliability (ICC Conclusion: Central aspects of pain is reliable and valid for use with people with RA and explains RA pain variance better than inflammation or CSI-9.

Indexed as

ArthritisPainPsychometricsRheumatoidSurveys and questionnaires

Identifiers

PMID40551746
PMCPMC12185087

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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.