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Reliability of four experimental mechanical pain tests in children

Soee, Ann-Britt L ; Thomsen, Lise L ; Tornoe, Birte LU and Skov, Liselotte (2013) In Journal of Pain Research 6. p.10-103
Abstract

PURPOSE: In order to study pain in children, it is necessary to determine whether pain measurement tools used in adults are reliable measurements in children. The aim of this study was to explore the intrasession reliability of pressure pain thresholds (PPT) in healthy children. Furthermore, the aim was also to study the intersession reliability of the following four tests: (1) Total Tenderness Score; (2) PPT; (3) Visual Analog Scale score at suprapressure pain threshold; and (4) area under the curve (stimulus-response functions for pressure versus pain).

PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: Twenty-five healthy school children, 8-14 years of age, participated. Test 2, PPT, was repeated three times at 2 minute intervals on the same day to... (More)

PURPOSE: In order to study pain in children, it is necessary to determine whether pain measurement tools used in adults are reliable measurements in children. The aim of this study was to explore the intrasession reliability of pressure pain thresholds (PPT) in healthy children. Furthermore, the aim was also to study the intersession reliability of the following four tests: (1) Total Tenderness Score; (2) PPT; (3) Visual Analog Scale score at suprapressure pain threshold; and (4) area under the curve (stimulus-response functions for pressure versus pain).

PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: Twenty-five healthy school children, 8-14 years of age, participated. Test 2, PPT, was repeated three times at 2 minute intervals on the same day to estimate PPT intrasession reliability using Cronbach's alpha. Tests 1-4 were repeated after median 21 (interquartile range 10.5-22) days, and Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to describe the intersession reliability.

RESULTS: The PPT test was precise and reliable (Cronbach's alpha ≥ 0.92). All tests showed a good to excellent correlation between days (intersessions r = 0.66-0.81). There were no indications of significant systematic differences found in any of the four tests between days.

CONCLUSION: All tests seemed to be reliable measurements in pain evaluation in healthy children aged 8-14 years. Given the small sample size, this conclusion needs to be confirmed in future studies.

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author
; ; and
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
keywords
Journal Article
in
Journal of Pain Research
volume
6
pages
8 pages
publisher
Dove Medical Press Ltd.
external identifiers
  • pmid:23403523
  • scopus:84874713955
ISSN
1178-7090
DOI
10.2147/JPR.S38514
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
e30ca0aa-d2e6-47b4-ae43-043c6a4d02f8
date added to LUP
2018-02-06 08:48:55
date last changed
2024-01-14 14:42:16
@article{e30ca0aa-d2e6-47b4-ae43-043c6a4d02f8,
  abstract     = {{<p>PURPOSE: In order to study pain in children, it is necessary to determine whether pain measurement tools used in adults are reliable measurements in children. The aim of this study was to explore the intrasession reliability of pressure pain thresholds (PPT) in healthy children. Furthermore, the aim was also to study the intersession reliability of the following four tests: (1) Total Tenderness Score; (2) PPT; (3) Visual Analog Scale score at suprapressure pain threshold; and (4) area under the curve (stimulus-response functions for pressure versus pain).</p><p>PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: Twenty-five healthy school children, 8-14 years of age, participated. Test 2, PPT, was repeated three times at 2 minute intervals on the same day to estimate PPT intrasession reliability using Cronbach's alpha. Tests 1-4 were repeated after median 21 (interquartile range 10.5-22) days, and Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to describe the intersession reliability.</p><p>RESULTS: The PPT test was precise and reliable (Cronbach's alpha ≥ 0.92). All tests showed a good to excellent correlation between days (intersessions r = 0.66-0.81). There were no indications of significant systematic differences found in any of the four tests between days.</p><p>CONCLUSION: All tests seemed to be reliable measurements in pain evaluation in healthy children aged 8-14 years. Given the small sample size, this conclusion needs to be confirmed in future studies.</p>}},
  author       = {{Soee, Ann-Britt L and Thomsen, Lise L and Tornoe, Birte and Skov, Liselotte}},
  issn         = {{1178-7090}},
  keywords     = {{Journal Article}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{10--103}},
  publisher    = {{Dove Medical Press Ltd.}},
  series       = {{Journal of Pain Research}},
  title        = {{Reliability of four experimental mechanical pain tests in children}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/JPR.S38514}},
  doi          = {{10.2147/JPR.S38514}},
  volume       = {{6}},
  year         = {{2013}},
}