Reference Values of Joint-Specific Pressure Pain Thresholds in Healthy Male Individuals: A Retrospective Study

IF 3.5 2区医学 Q1 ANESTHESIOLOGY

European Journal of Pain Pub Date : 2025-05-29 DOI:10.1002/ejp.70050

Fabian Tomschi, Alexander Schmidt, Marius Brühl, Thomas Hilberg

{"title":"Reference Values of Joint-Specific Pressure Pain Thresholds in Healthy Male Individuals: A Retrospective Study","authors":"Fabian Tomschi, Alexander Schmidt, Marius Brühl, Thomas Hilberg","doi":"10.1002/ejp.70050","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div>\n \n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Background</h3>\n \n <p>Pressure pain thresholds (PPT) are a component of Quantitative Sensory Testing and are used to assess mechanical pain sensitivity. Joint-specific PPT measurements are relevant because many joint disorders involve altered pain processing at and around joints. This study aims to establish such reference values that might contribute to evaluate deviations in pain sensitivity in specific patient populations.</p>\n </section>\n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Methods</h3>\n \n <p>This study retrospectively analysed PPT data from 407 healthy male individuals. Pressure was applied in a standardised manner using an algometer at eight anatomical landmarks: bilaterally at the elbow, knee and ankle joints, as well as the sternum and forehead. Percentile-based, landmark-discriminative normative data were calculated for PPT in general and segmented for age, BMI and mean subjective pain over 4 weeks.</p>\n </section>\n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Results</h3>\n \n <p>Median (IQR) PPT values (N/cm<sup>2</sup>) for anatomical landmarks are as follows: ankle = 47.2 (35.9, 63.8), knee = 65.9 (48.6, 89.1), elbow = 58.0 (40.5, 81.1), sternum = 39.8 (30.2, 53.3) and forehead = 35.5 (26.8, 45.0). Between-group analyses revealed no significant effect of BMI on PPT at any landmark assessed, no significant effect of age, except for the elbow joint (<i>p</i> = 0.035) and no effect of the presence of pain, except for the ankle (<i>p</i> = 0.020) and elbow joint (<i>p</i> = 0.010).</p>\n </section>\n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Conclusion</h3>\n \n <p>This study provides normative joint-specific PPT values in healthy male individuals, offering reference values for both clinical and research applications. These values can assist in interpreting PPT measured in clinical settings and in identifying abnormal pain sensitivity.</p>\n </section>\n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Significance Statement</h3>\n \n <p>Pressure pain thresholds are an important measure in Quantitative Sensory Testing, yet comprehensive normative data for joint-specific PPT in healthy individuals have been lacking. This study establishes reference values across multiple anatomical landmarks, providing a critical benchmark for evaluating pain sensitivity deviations in musculoskeletal disorders. These findings enhance the interpretation of PPT measurements, supporting improved pain assessment and diagnostic accuracy.</p>\n </section>\n </div>","PeriodicalId":12021,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Pain","volume":"29 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5000,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ejp.70050","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"European Journal of Pain","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ejp.70050","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"ANESTHESIOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

Pressure pain thresholds (PPT) are a component of Quantitative Sensory Testing and are used to assess mechanical pain sensitivity. Joint-specific PPT measurements are relevant because many joint disorders involve altered pain processing at and around joints. This study aims to establish such reference values that might contribute to evaluate deviations in pain sensitivity in specific patient populations.

Methods

This study retrospectively analysed PPT data from 407 healthy male individuals. Pressure was applied in a standardised manner using an algometer at eight anatomical landmarks: bilaterally at the elbow, knee and ankle joints, as well as the sternum and forehead. Percentile-based, landmark-discriminative normative data were calculated for PPT in general and segmented for age, BMI and mean subjective pain over 4 weeks.

Results

Median (IQR) PPT values (N/cm²) for anatomical landmarks are as follows: ankle = 47.2 (35.9, 63.8), knee = 65.9 (48.6, 89.1), elbow = 58.0 (40.5, 81.1), sternum = 39.8 (30.2, 53.3) and forehead = 35.5 (26.8, 45.0). Between-group analyses revealed no significant effect of BMI on PPT at any landmark assessed, no significant effect of age, except for the elbow joint (p = 0.035) and no effect of the presence of pain, except for the ankle (p = 0.020) and elbow joint (p = 0.010).

Conclusion

This study provides normative joint-specific PPT values in healthy male individuals, offering reference values for both clinical and research applications. These values can assist in interpreting PPT measured in clinical settings and in identifying abnormal pain sensitivity.

Significance Statement

Pressure pain thresholds are an important measure in Quantitative Sensory Testing, yet comprehensive normative data for joint-specific PPT in healthy individuals have been lacking. This study establishes reference values across multiple anatomical landmarks, providing a critical benchmark for evaluating pain sensitivity deviations in musculoskeletal disorders. These findings enhance the interpretation of PPT measurements, supporting improved pain assessment and diagnostic accuracy.

查看原文本刊更多论文

健康男性关节特异性压力疼痛阈值的参考值：一项回顾性研究

压力疼痛阈值（PPT）是定量感觉测试的一个组成部分，用于评估机械疼痛敏感性。关节特异性PPT测量是相关的，因为许多关节疾病涉及关节及其周围疼痛处理的改变。本研究旨在建立这样的参考值，可能有助于评估特定患者群体的疼痛敏感性偏差。方法回顾性分析407例健康男性的PPT资料。以标准化的方式使用测压仪在八个解剖标志处施加压力：双侧肘关节，膝关节和踝关节，以及胸骨和前额。计算一般PPT的基于百分位数的、具有里程碑意义的标准数据，并根据年龄、BMI和4周内的平均主观疼痛进行分段。结果解剖标志的中位（IQR） PPT值（N/cm2）分别为：踝关节= 47.2(35.9,63.8)，膝关节= 65.9(48.6,89.1)，肘关节= 58.0(40.5,81.1)，胸骨= 39.8(30.2,53.3)，前额= 35.5（26.8,45.0）。组间分析显示，BMI对所有评估指标的PPT均无显著影响；年龄对PPT无显著影响，肘关节除外（p = 0.035）；疼痛对PPT无显著影响，踝关节除外（p = 0.020）和肘关节除外（p = 0.010）。结论本研究为健康男性提供了规范的关节特异性PPT值，为临床和研究应用提供了参考价值。这些值可以帮助解释PPT测量在临床设置和识别异常疼痛敏感性。压痛阈值是定量感觉测试中的重要指标，但健康个体关节特异性PPT缺乏全面的规范性数据。本研究建立了跨多个解剖标志的参考值，为评估肌肉骨骼疾病的疼痛敏感性偏差提供了关键基准。这些发现增强了PPT测量的解释，支持改进疼痛评估和诊断准确性。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

European Journal of Pain 医学-临床神经学

CiteScore

7.50

自引率

5.60%

发文量

163

审稿时长

4-8 weeks

期刊介绍： European Journal of Pain (EJP) publishes clinical and basic science research papers relevant to all aspects of pain and its management, including specialties such as anaesthesia, dentistry, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopaedics, palliative care, pharmacology, physiology, psychiatry, psychology and rehabilitation; socio-economic aspects of pain are also covered. Regular sections in the journal are as follows: • Editorials and Commentaries • Position Papers and Guidelines • Reviews • Original Articles • Letters • Bookshelf The journal particularly welcomes clinical trials, which are published on an occasional basis. Research articles are published under the following subject headings: • Neurobiology • Neurology • Experimental Pharmacology • Clinical Pharmacology • Psychology • Behavioural Therapy • Epidemiology • Cancer Pain • Acute Pain • Clinical Trials.