The Central Sensitization Inventory and Pain Sensitivity Questionnaire: An exploration of construct validity and associations with widespread pain sensitivity among individuals with shoulder pain.
Rogelio A Coronado, Steven Z George
PMID 29751194WHAT IT FOUND
Neither CSI nor PSQ reliably identified widespread pain sensitivity in shoulder pain.
PSQ had only weak remote pressure pain threshold links; CSI tracked distress and resilience more than sensory tests. Do not use them alone to infer central sensitization.
Key findings
01The CSI had no significant associations with pressure or heat pain thresholds, and the PSQ showed only weak associations with remote pressure pain thresholds.
02Neither the CSI nor the PSQ distinguished shoulder pain patients with widespread pain sensitivity from those without.
03The CSI and PSQ were associated with psychological distress and resilience, and lower resilience was associated with widespread pain sensitivity.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The analysis was cross-sectional baseline data from a randomized trial subgroup, so it cannot show temporal relationships or treatment response. The shoulder pain group met specific trial eligibility criteria and was not a representative chronic widespread pain sample, limiting generalizability. Only pressure and heat sensory tests were used, so results cannot be compared with cold, chemical, electrical or conditioned pain modulation methods. Widespread pain sensitivity was defined by a strict composite pressure pain threshold index, which may not capture all patterns of central sensitization. The study examined only the CSI and PSQ, not other nervous system sensitivity questionnaires.
Declared interests
The supplied text does not include a conflicts of interest or funding declaration. The article metadata lists NIH extramural and non-U.S. government research support.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that the CSI or PSQ can replace quantitative sensory testing for detecting central sensitization. Neither questionnaire distinguished patients with widespread pain sensitivity, and the CSI had no significant correlations with pressure or heat pain thresholds.