The Frequency of Central Sensitization in Patients With Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain

Active, not recruiting

• Conditions: Chronic Pain; Central Sensitisation; Chronic Musculoskeletal Disease
• Interventions: Diagnostic Test: Central sensitization inventory; Other: Short form-36; Other: Istanbul Low Back Pain Disability Index; Other: Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH); Other: Neck Pain and Disability scale; Other: Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score; Other: Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index; Other: Visual analogue scale

• Registration Number: NCT04765280
• Lead Sponsor: Marmara University

Brief Summary

Central sensitization is as increased response to normal or sub-threshold stimuli of central nervous system and its close relationship with in many musculoskeletal diseases with chronic pain has been demonstrated in several studies. However, the effect of central sensitization on disability in these patients is not fully known. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the frequency of central sensitization and its effect on patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain who were admitted to physical medicine and rehabilitation outpatient clinics.

Detailed Description

The term central sensitization (CS) was first used in 1988 and was explained as the increase in pain sensitivity with the amplification of neuron-derived signals in the central nervous system. With the development of CS, a decrease in the pain threshold and an increase in generalized sensitivity occur. There is no method for the diagnosis of CS is accepted as a gold standard. Clinical scales and quantitative sensory testing (QST) is used for this purpose widely. In addition, the well-known scale used for the evaluation of CS is the Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI), developed for detect CS in chronic pain patients. The use of CSI, which is more practical to use, is becoming widespread because QST takes time, is costly and requires experienced practitioners. The prevalence of chronic pain is reported as 30% in Europe and has an important place among diseases that cause disability worldwide. Until this time, the relationship between CS and many diseases that cause chronic pain has been revealed, and an increase in pain intensity, duration and prevalence has been detected in patients accompanied by CS. In addition to all these changes, the decrease in the treatment response of these patients makes the clinical management of individuals with pain sensitization even more difficult. Although the increase in the frequency of CS in patients with chronic pain is known, data on the incidence of this condition in various diseases with chronic pain is limited.The frequency of CS was mostly reported in patients with low back (37.8%) and neck pain (32.4%) and the authors reported that the higher rates of disability is seen in patients with high CSI scores. Similarly, in this study, it was planned to show the relationship between CS and disability in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2021-01-01
• Study First Submitted: 2021-02-19
• Study First Submitted QC: 2021-02-19
• Study First Posted: 2021-02-21
• Status Verified: 2022-11
• Last Update Submitted: 2023-01-18
• Last Update Posted: 2023-01-19
• Primary Completion: 2023-03-01
• Study Completion: 2023-03-30

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 500

Inclusion Criteria

• Have musculoskeletal pain that lasts for at least 3 months
• Accepting to participate in the study

Exclusion Criteria

• Have rheumatic disease

Study & Design

• Study Type: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Design: Not specified

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain	Short form-36	Patients with any musculoskeletal pain for at least 3 months
Patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain	Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index	Patients with any musculoskeletal pain for at least 3 months
Patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain	Istanbul Low Back Pain Disability Index	Patients with any musculoskeletal pain for at least 3 months
Patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain	Central sensitization inventory	Patients with any musculoskeletal pain for at least 3 months
Patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain	Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score	Patients with any musculoskeletal pain for at least 3 months
Patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain	Visual analogue scale	Patients with any musculoskeletal pain for at least 3 months
Patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain	Neck Pain and Disability scale	Patients with any musculoskeletal pain for at least 3 months
Patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain	Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH)	Patients with any musculoskeletal pain for at least 3 months

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI)	6 months	25 somatic and psychosocial symptoms, which are frequently found in patients with central sensitization in part A, are questioned. In part B, the presence of diseases whose relationship with central sensitization is well defined is questioned in the patient without participating in scoring. Central sensitization is assumed in patients who score 40 or more over 100 points.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
The Neck Pain and Disability scale (NPAD)	6 months	The NPAD is a composite index including 20 items which measure the intensity of neck pain and related disability.It is accepted that the higher the score, the higher disability
WOMAC	6 months	The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) is widely used in the evaluation of Hip and Knee Osteoarthritis. It is a self-administered questionnaire consisting of 24 items divided into 3 subscales: pain, stiffness and physical function.
VAS pain	6 months	The patients pain severity will be evaluated with a 10-cm horizontal visual analogue scale (VAS) ranging from "0 cm" (no discomfort) to "10 cm" (worst imaginable)
KOOS	6 months	The Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) is a knee-specific instrument, developed to assess the patients' opinion about their knee and associated problems. The KOOS evaluates both short-term and long-term consequences of knee injury. It holds 42 items in 5 separately scored subscales; Pain, other Symptoms, Function in daily living (ADL), Function in Sport and Recreation (Sport/Rec), and knee-related Quality of Life (QOL).
SF-36	6 months	The 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36) is an oft-used, well-researched, self-reported measure of health.The scale was developed by Ware in 1987 and consists of 36 questions questioning 8 sub-parameters regarding the health status of the person.These parameters are physical function, pain, limitation due to physical and emotional problems, emotional well-being, social function, fatigue and general health perception.
Istanbul Low Back Pain Disability Index (ILBPDI)	6 months	This scale was developed for assessing the severity of disability in chronic low back pain patients by Duruöz et.al in 2013. This scale consists of 18 questions in the form of a Likert scale that evaluates the limitation of daily life activities of patients in the last month.It is accepted that the higher the score, the higher disability.
Quick DASH	6 months	The Quick DASH is a shortened version of the questionnaire, which was created to detect symptoms and loss of function secondary to musculoskeletal problems of the upper extremity.There are 30 questions in the original form of the questionnaire, and the newly developed short version has been reduced to 11 questions in total. Beaton et al stated that with the quick questionnaire for arm, shoulder and hand problems, upper extremity functional evaluation can be made at rates similar to the original version.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Feyza Nur YUCEL; 🇹🇷 Sinop, Turkey