Somatotopic heat pain thresholds and intraepidermal nerve fibers in health.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

For sequential and somatotopic assessment of small fiber neuropathy, heat pain (HP) tests of hypoalgesia might be used instead of decreased counts of epidermal nerve fibers (ENFs), but then healthy subject reference values of HP thresholds are needed.

Methods

Using the Computer Assisted Sensation Evaluator IVc system, HP thresholds of hypoalgesia were estimated for 10 unilateral sites and counts of ENFs for 4 of them in healthy subjects.

Results

In healthy subjects, small but statistically significant differences of both HP thresholds of hypoalgesia and counts of ENFs were observed among tested sites. Significant correlations between HP thresholds and counts of ENFs were not found.

Discussion

For the studied somatotopic sites, we provide ≥95th and

SUBMITTER: Davies JL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6139085 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature