TY - JOUR
T1 - Central sensitization in adolescents with hypermobility spectrum disorder or hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome-a feasibility study
AU - Schubert-Hjalmarsson, Elke
AU - Fasth, Anders
AU - Ickmans, Kelly
AU - Mårdbrink, Eva-Lott
AU - Söderpalm, Ann-Charlott
AU - Lundberg, Mari
N1 - Funding Information:
Open access funding provided by University of Gothenburg. This study was funded by Region Västra Götaland’s Health and Medical Care Executive Board (Regionala FoU-medel Västra Götalandsregionen).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023, The Author(s).
PY - 2023/12
Y1 - 2023/12
N2 - BACKGROUND: Pain is a major symptom in adolescents with hypermobility spectrum disorder or hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Although the underlying mechanism causing generalized pain in children with hypermobility spectrum disorder or hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is unclear, central sensitization has been suggested as a possible explanation. The aim of this study was to explore the feasibility of a study protocol for a future case-control study, investigating features of central sensitization in adolescents with hypermobility spectrum disorder or hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.METHODS: Central sensitization features were measured in ten patients and nine healthy controls aged 13-17 years via experimental pain measurement quantifying primary and secondary hyperalgesia, endogenous pain modulation, and exercise-induced hyperalgesia. Descriptive statistics were used. Frequency, median, and range values were calculated.RESULTS: Eleven out of 57 patients chose to participate. No control could be recruited through public schools. Therefore, a convenience sampling strategy was used for the recruitment of the control group. The process of assessing primary and secondary hyperalgesia, endogenous pain modulation, and exercise-induced hyperalgesia was well tolerated by all participants (patients and controls). When assessing endogenous pain modulation via conditioned pain modulation, two participants in the patient group and three in the control group did not achieve a pain experience ≥ 3 on the numerical rating scale when immersing their hands in cold water.CONCLUSION: This study investigated the feasibility, safety, and toleration of experimental pain measurements in adolescents with hypermobility spectrum disorder or hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Although the test protocol proved to be sufficiently feasible for use with the participant group, it will need to be adapted in the main study in order to obtain more reliable data. Recruitment, especially of participants for the control group, can be a major obstacle for future studies and requires careful planning.TRIAL REGISTRATION: Researchweb.org, 270,501. Registered on 9 May 2019.
AB - BACKGROUND: Pain is a major symptom in adolescents with hypermobility spectrum disorder or hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Although the underlying mechanism causing generalized pain in children with hypermobility spectrum disorder or hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is unclear, central sensitization has been suggested as a possible explanation. The aim of this study was to explore the feasibility of a study protocol for a future case-control study, investigating features of central sensitization in adolescents with hypermobility spectrum disorder or hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.METHODS: Central sensitization features were measured in ten patients and nine healthy controls aged 13-17 years via experimental pain measurement quantifying primary and secondary hyperalgesia, endogenous pain modulation, and exercise-induced hyperalgesia. Descriptive statistics were used. Frequency, median, and range values were calculated.RESULTS: Eleven out of 57 patients chose to participate. No control could be recruited through public schools. Therefore, a convenience sampling strategy was used for the recruitment of the control group. The process of assessing primary and secondary hyperalgesia, endogenous pain modulation, and exercise-induced hyperalgesia was well tolerated by all participants (patients and controls). When assessing endogenous pain modulation via conditioned pain modulation, two participants in the patient group and three in the control group did not achieve a pain experience ≥ 3 on the numerical rating scale when immersing their hands in cold water.CONCLUSION: This study investigated the feasibility, safety, and toleration of experimental pain measurements in adolescents with hypermobility spectrum disorder or hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Although the test protocol proved to be sufficiently feasible for use with the participant group, it will need to be adapted in the main study in order to obtain more reliable data. Recruitment, especially of participants for the control group, can be a major obstacle for future studies and requires careful planning.TRIAL REGISTRATION: Researchweb.org, 270,501. Registered on 9 May 2019.
KW - Feasibility study
KW - hypermobility
KW - Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
KW - central sensitization
KW - Pain
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85161836048&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1186/s40814-023-01320-3
DO - 10.1186/s40814-023-01320-3
M3 - Article
C2 - 37316864
VL - 9
JO - Pilot and feasibility studies
JF - Pilot and feasibility studies
SN - 2055-5784
IS - 1
M1 - 97
ER -