PAIN SENSITIVITY IN THE ELDERLY

Abstract

Introduction: In previous studies of pain sensitivity in the elderly, reliance on experimental assessments of the pain threshold has led to inconsistent results; thus, the impact of ageing on pain sensitivity is still uncertain. In this study, we investigate the changes in experimental and clinical pain sensitivity in an elderly population. Materials and Method: Pressure pain threshold measurements were obtained using a digital algometer for 80 elderly patients with chronic low back pain and 80 younger patients with low back pain (control group). A visual analog scale was used to assess the sensitivity of the thumbnail bed to painful stimuli (Thumb-VAS) and to low back pain (Low back pain-VAS). Correlation analyses were then used to explore the association between parameters of experimental and clinical pain sensitivity. Results: Both groups had comparable gender distribution, body mass index, Beck Depression Inventory scores and pain duration (p > 0.05 for all). There was no difference between the groups in experimental pain sensitivity parameters, including deltoid, 1st dorsal interosseous, tibial pressure pain threshold, thumb-VAS and low back pain-VAS (p > 0.05 for all). While experimental pain sensitivity parameters were highly correlated with each other (p=0.000 for all), they did not show a correlation with clinical pain sensitivity. Conclusion: Healthy physiological ageing does not have a considerable impact on pain sensitivity as assessed by either experimental pain or clinical pain sensitivity.