Pain thresholds and tender point counts as predictors of new chronic widespread pain in psychologically distressed subjects

A Gupta ¹, J McBeth ^1*, G J Macfarlane ², R K Morriss ³, C Dickens ¹, D Ray ¹, Y H Chiu ¹ and A J Silman ¹

¹ University of Manchester, United Kingdom
² University of Aberdeen, United Kingdom
³ University of Nottingham, United Kingdom

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: john.mcbeth{at}manchester.ac.uk.

Accepted 26 September 2006

Abstract

Objective: Tender points are a general measure of distress both in community and clinic subjects. It has been suggested that multiple tender points should be regarded as the early stages of somatization of distress. Similarly, there is recent evidence to suggest that chronic widespread pain is one manifestation of the somatization of distress. Given that a high tender point count and chronic widespread pain are clinical hallmarks of the fibromyalgia syndrome, we hypothesized that in psychologically distressed subjects, a high tender point count, or a low pain threshold would predict the development of chronic widespread pain in the future.

Methods: In this population based prospective study, 245 psychologically distressed adults between 25- 65 years, free of chronic widespread pain, were identified, based on a detailed pain questionnaire, and a psychosocial questionnaire comprising the Somatic Symptom Checklist and the Illness Behaviour subscale of the Illness Attitude Scales. These subjects took part in a pain threshold examination with a Fischer pressure algometer. Tender point counts were computed by including all areas with a pain threshold below 4kg/cm2. Individuals were followed up at 15 months, at which time 231 (97% of subjects still living at their baseline address) provided data on pain status, using the same instruments.

Results: At follow-up, 26 subjects (11%) developed new chronic widespread pain. Neither baseline pain threshold, nor tender point count, adjusted for age, gender and baseline pain status, predicted the development of new chronic widespread pain.

Conclusion: Psychologically distressed subjects free of chronic widespread pain are not at an increased risk of its development if they have high tender points or low pain thresholds. Data from this population based prospective study suggest that a low pain-threshold in subjects with chronic widespread pain is likely to be a secondary phenomenon as a result of pain or associated distress rather than being the antecedent of symptoms.

Keywords: pain, pain threshold, population based, prospective, tender points

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