Association of Neuropathic Pain Symptoms with Sensitization Related Symptomatology in Women with Fibromyalgia

Abstract

We aimed to analyze potential correlations between S-LANSS and PainDETECT with proxies for pain sensitization, e.g., the Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI) and pressure pain hyperalgesia (construct validity), pain-related or psychological variables (concurrent validity) in women with fibromyalgia (FMS). One-hundred-and-twenty-six females with FMS completed demographic, pain-related variables, psychological, and sensitization outcomes as well as the S-LANSS and the PainDETECT questionnaires. S-LANSS was positively associated with BMI (r = 0.206), pain intensity (r = 0.206 to 0.298) and CSI score (r = 0.336) and negatively associated with all PPTs (r = −0.180 to −0.336). PainDETECT was negatively associated with age (r = −0.272) and all PPTs (r = −0.226 to −0.378) and positively correlated with pain intensity (r = 0.258 to 0.439), CSI (r = 0.538), anxiety (r = 0.246) and depression (r = 0.258). 51.4% of the S-LANSS was explained by PainDETECT (45.3%), posterior iliac PPT (0.2%) and mastoid PPT (5.9%), whereas the 56.4% of PainDETECT was explained by S-LANSS (43.4%), CSI (10.4%), and pain intensity (2.6%). This study found good convergent association between S-LANSS and PainDETECT in women with FMS. Additionally, S-LANSS was associated with PPTs whereas PainDETECT was associated with pain intensity and CSI, suggesting that both questionnaires assess different spectrums of the neuropathic and pain sensitization components of a condition and hence provide synergistic information.

The Self-Reported Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs (S-LANSS) and PainDETECT Questionnaires in COVID-19 Survivors with Post-COVID Pain

“…Further, the S-LANSS was associated with symptoms duration and weight whereas PainDETECT was associated with sensitization-associated symptoms and anxiety. Our results suggest, as it has been previously observed in women with FMS [ 19 ], that these PROMs could assess different aspects of the neuropathic pain spectrum providing synergistic information for phenotyping patients.…”

“…A convergent association between the S-LANSS and PainDETECT seems to be expected since both questionnaires were designed to identify neuropathic pain symptoms [ 15 , 16 ]. This association between both PROMs has been previously found in FMS [ 19 ] and painful knee osteoarthritis [ 32 ]. However, variables independently associated with each questionnaire were different suggesting that both PROMs could assess different aspects of the neuropathic pain spectrum.…”

“…Differences in terminology or particular questions could explain these discrepancies between both PROMs. It is also possible that S-LANSS and PainDETECT assess different components of the neuropathic pain spectrum as previously suggested (19). Studies using objective tests, e.g., quantitative sensory testing, electromyography, or tissue biopsies, confirming the presence of a neuropathic origin of the pain could help to further validate which PROM, the S-LANSS or PainDETECT, leads to a more accurate identification of neuropathic symptoms in individuals with post-COVID pain.…”

“…Both questionnaires have been used in fibromyalgia syndrome [ 17 ], a condition which for some patients resemble features similar to long-COVID [ 18 ]. In addition, a recent study observed that, although both PROMs are designed for evaluating neuropathic pain symptoms and exhibit good convergence between them, they are related to different pain sensitization proxies [ 19 ].…”

“…There is increasing evidence supporting those individuals who had survived an acute infection of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), the agent causing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID- 19), developing a plethora of symptoms after the acute phase [1,2]. Among the hundreds of symptoms associated with the post-acute phase, fatigue and dyspnea are the most prevalent post-COVID symptoms [1,2]; however, evidence on post-COVID pain (in particular, headache and musculoskeletal pain) as a prevalent problem is arising [3].…”