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Table 4 Heat pain threshold, cold pain threshold, and electrical stimuli in fibromyalgia

From: Biology and therapy of fibromyalgia. Evidence-based biomarkers for fibromyalgia syndrome

Reference

Year of study

Number of FM patients

Number of control individuals

QST

QST method

Findings

Petzke and colleagues [28]

2003

43

28

HPT, suprathreshold

ASC and RAN

FM decreased HPT, suprathresholds. Pain ratings from RAN were consistently higher than ASC, possibly due to perceived lack of perceived control

Gibson and colleagues [29]

1994

10

10

WT and HPT

ASC and RAN

FM decreased HPT, no difference in WT

Staud and colleagues [102]

2005

11

12

Suprathreshold: affected and CP

ASC

Increased thermal pain ratings after exercise (opposite of HC)

Geisser and colleagues [108]

2003

20

20

HPT, WT

ASC

FM with decreased HPT. Higher intensity and unpleasantness for non-noxious stimuli

Kosek and Hansson [30]

1997

10

10

CT, WT, CPT, HPT

ASC

FM decreased CT in forearm. FM decreased CPT and HPT. No difference in WT

Lautenbacher and Rollman [34]

1997

25

26

HPT

ASC

FM had decreased HPT

Kosek and colleagues [31]

1996

10

10

CT, WT, CPT, HPT

ASC

FM decreased HPT, CPT. FM had decreased WT only at TP

Lorenz and colleagues [128]

1996

10

10

HPT

ASC

FM decreased HPT

Lautenbacher and colleagues [120]

1994

26

26

HPT

ASC

FM decreased HPT, no difference in WT

Lautenbacher and Rollman [34]

1997

25

26

Electrical

ASC

No difference in electrical detection/PT

Lautenbacher and colleagues [120]

1994

26

26

Electrical – CP and TP

ASC

FM decreased electrocutaneous only at TP, not control points

Arroyo and Cohen [129]

1993

10

10

Electrical detection, suprathreshold

ASC

No difference in electrical detection, FM decreased electrical tolerance

  1. ASC, ascending; CP, control point; CPT, cold pain threshold; CT, cold perception threshold; FM, fibromyalgia; HC, healthy control individuals; HPT, heat pain threshold; PT, pain threshold; QST, quantitative sensory testing; RAN, random; TP, tender point; WT, warmth perception threshold.