Body mass index and distribution of body fat can influence sensory detection and pain sensitivity

Tashani, Osama A.; Astita, R.; Sharp, Duncan; Johnson, Mark I.

doi:10.1002/ejp.1019

Cited by 86 publications

(54 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…However, we found no differences in pain threshold for any of the noxious stimuli used (i.e. pressure, contact heat or cold pressor), and this is not consistent with previous studies by ourselves or others that have found that women have lower pain thresholds than men [16,21]. We calculated sample size based on detecting a relationship between age and pain sensitivity response rather than between men and women and this might explain the discrepancy.…”

Section: Sex/gender-related Pain Sensitivity Responsecontrasting

confidence: 82%

“…The sample size was calculated for heat pain threshold as a dependent variable and age as the independent variable using an online software calculator (https://www.ai-therapy.com/psychology-statistics/sample-size-calculator). A sample size calculation was conducted using alpha set at 0.05, beta set at 0.90 and a correlation coefficient of 0.33 based on a previous study [16] resulting in a target of 52 participants. Therefore, a total of 56 participants were recruited in anticipation of some participants may drop out during the experimental procedures.…”

Section: Sample Size Calculationmentioning

confidence: 99%

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An Experimental Investigation of the Effect of Age and Sex/Gender on Pain Sensitivity in Healthy Human Participants

Eltumi¹,

Johnson²,

Tashani³

2018

TOPAINJ

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Background:Ageing is associated with alterations of the structure and function of somatosensory tissue that can impact on pain perception. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between age and pain sensitivity responses to noxious thermal and mechanical stimuli in healthy adults. Methods:56 unpaid volunteers (28 women) aged between 20 and 55 years were categorised according to age into one of seven possible groups. The following measurements were taken: thermal detection thresholds, heat pain threshold and tolerance using a TSA-II NeuroSensory Analyzer; pressure pain threshold using a handheld electronic pressure algometer; and cold pressor pain threshold, tolerance, intensity and unpleasantness. Results:There was a positive correlation between heat pain tolerance and age (r = 0.228, P = 0.046), but no statistically significant differences between age groups for cold or warm detection thresholds, or heat pain threshold or tolerance. Forward regression found increasing age to be a predictor of increased pressure pain threshold (B = 0.378, P = 0.002), and sex/gender to be a predictor of cold pressor pain tolerance, with women having lower tolerance than men (B = -0.332, P = 0.006). Conclusion:The findings of this experimental study provide further evidence that pressure pain threshold increases with age and that women have lower thresholds and tolerances to innocuous and noxious thermal stimuli. Significance:The findings demonstrate that variations in pain sensitivity response to experimental stimuli in adults vary according to stimulus modality, age and sex and gender.

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Section: Sex/gender-related Pain Sensitivity Responsecontrasting

confidence: 82%

Section: Sample Size Calculationmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Experimental Investigation of the Effect of Age and Sex/Gender on Pain Sensitivity in Healthy Human Participants

Eltumi¹,

Johnson²,

Tashani³

2018

TOPAINJ

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“…55 Interestingly, BMI was associated with increased pain facilitation and reduced pain inhibition for TMD cases when tested over the face, despite no between-group differences for mean BMI or across BMI categories. It has been recently suggested that BMI may influence pain sensitivity, with obese pain-free participants presenting with lower PPT compared to normal or overweight participants, 61 and there is also evidence that individuals who report greater physical activity levels present with reduced TSP and greater CPM responses. 62 BMI relationship with EPM is an underdeveloped field of research, and to the best of our knowledge, no study with a specific focus on such relationship has been reported to date.…”

Section: Discussion and Con Clus I On Smentioning

confidence: 99%

Endogenous pain modulation in chronic temporomandibular disorders: Derivation of pain modulation profiles and assessment of its relationship with clinical characteristics

Moana-Filho

Babiloni

2018

J of Oral Rehabilitation

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Summary Background Endogenous pain modulation (EPM) reflects the brain's ability to modulate incoming nociceptive inputs, and deficient EPM was implicated as a chronic pain mechanism. EPM status has been investigated in temporomandibular disorders (TMD) patients with conflicting results, and its relationship with clinical characteristics in this population is not well known. Objectives (a) Determine EPM responses in chronic TMD cases and pain‐free controls; (b) Derive pain modulation profiles (PMP) based on individual EPM responses; and (c) Categorise clinical characteristics of TMD cases and pain‐free controls based on their individual PMP. Methods Twenty‐two chronic TMD cases and 17 age‐matched pain‐free controls, all females, were comprehensively characterised regarding clinical characteristics and underwent EPM testing using temporal summation of pain (TSP) and conditioned pain modulation (CPM) protocols over the face and hand. Individuals were categorised into PMPs (I‐IV) based on predetermined cut‐off points for TSP and CPM responses. Results Between‐group comparisons showed similar TSP and CPM responses (P > 0.23) in the face, while TMD cases showed significantly increased TSP (P = 0.04) but similar CPM responses (P > 0.17) in the hand relative to controls. Similar distribution across PMPs and clinical characteristics when categorised into PMPs was found for both groups. Body mass index was associated with increased TSP and reduced CPM in the face in TMD cases. Conclusion Endogenous pain modulation responses over the face were similar between groups. TMD cases showed increased hand TSP compared to controls while both groups showed no significant hand CPM. PMP classification showed similar results between groups, and further refinement of PMP determination is warranted.

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“…To date, we are not aware of any studies that have examined lipid levels in relation to peripheral and central sensitivity, although fat distribution has been shown to influence pressure pain threshold. A recent study evaluating pain sensitivity among normal weight, overweight and obese individuals reported that pressure pain threshold was significantly lower in overweight and obese compared to normal weight individuals whereas thermal pain thresholds were not significantly different between groups (Tashani, Astita, Sharp, & Johnson, 2017). Further research regarding how triacylglycerol levels, specifically TAG 50:2, may influence pain sensitivity are needed, with careful attention to controlling for body mass index and fat distribution in mechanical and deep tissue pain sensitivity assessments.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Circulating Lipids and Acute Pain Sensitization

Starkweather¹,

Julian

Ramesh³

et al. 2017

Nursing Research

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Background In individuals with low back pain, higher lipid levels have been documented and were associated with increased risk for chronic low back pain. Objectives The purpose of this research was to identify plasma lipids that discriminate participants with acute low back pain with or without pain sensitization as measured by quantitative sensory testing. Methods This exploratory study was conducted as part of a larger parent randomized controlled trial. A cluster analysis of 30 participants with acute low back pain revealed two clusters: one with signs of peripheral and central sensitivity to mechanical and thermal stimuli and the other with an absence of peripheral and central sensitivity. Lipid levels were extracted from plasma and measured using mass spectroscopy. Results TAG 50:2 was significantly higher in participants with peripheral and central sensitization compared to the nonsensitized cluster. The nonsensitized cluster had significantly higher levels of PG 34:2, plasmenyl-PC 38:1, and PA 28:1 compared to participants with peripheral and central sensitization. Linear discriminant function analysis was conducted using the four statistically significant lipids to test their predictive power to classify those in the sensitization and no sensitization clusters; the four lipids accurately predicted cluster classification 58% of the time (R2 = .58 (−2 log likelihood = 14.59). Discussion The results of this exploratory study suggest a unique lipidomic signature in plasma of patients with acute low back pain based on the presence or absence of pain sensitization. Future work to replicate these preliminary findings is underway.

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Body mass index and distribution of body fat can influence sensory detection and pain sensitivity

Cited by 86 publications

References 39 publications

An Experimental Investigation of the Effect of Age and Sex/Gender on Pain Sensitivity in Healthy Human Participants

An Experimental Investigation of the Effect of Age and Sex/Gender on Pain Sensitivity in Healthy Human Participants

Endogenous pain modulation in chronic temporomandibular disorders: Derivation of pain modulation profiles and assessment of its relationship with clinical characteristics

Circulating Lipids and Acute Pain Sensitization

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