Curtin University Homepage
  • Library
  • Help
    • Admin

    espace - Curtin’s institutional repository

    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.
    View Item 
    • espace Home
    • espace
    • Curtin Research Publications
    • View Item
    • espace Home
    • espace
    • Curtin Research Publications
    • View Item

    Differences in Quantitative Sensory Testing and Functional Testing Between Patients with Osteoarthritis and Matched Controls

    Access Status
    Fulltext not available
    Authors
    Wright, Tony
    Moss, Penny
    Will, R.
    Benson, Heather
    Date
    2013
    Type
    Journal Article
    
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Citation
    Wright, T. and Moss, P. and Will, R. and Benson, H. 2013. Differences in Quantitative Sensory Testing and Functional Testing Between Patients with Osteoarthritis and Matched Controls. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. 72 (S3): A701.
    Source Title
    Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases
    ISSN
    0003-4967
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/8725
    Collection
    • Curtin Research Publications
    Abstract

    Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is acknowledged as a complex, heterogeneous pathology. It has been suggested that new assessment approaches are needed to evaluate OA patients so that treatment can be targeted optimally. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate whether subjects with knee OA exhibit higher levels of sensory hyperalgesia and functional impairment, as measured using quantitative sensory test (QST) measures and standardised functional tests, than a cohort of healthy age and gender-matched controls. The relationship between quantitative tests and a self-report measure of quality of life was also investigated. Methods: 40 volunteers with painful knee OA were recruited in addition to 40 healthy volunteers, matched by gender and five-year age band (16 male: 24 female, mean age 64 years both groups). OA subjects were withdrawn from their usual analgesics / NSAIDs during testing. All subjects initially completed a SF36 Quality of Life questionnaire. Functional status was assessed using the aggregated locomotion function (ALF) score [1]: total time taken to complete three tasks – 3m chair transfer, 8m walk and a standardised flight of stairs. QST was applied at both knees and the unaffected right elbow with standard methods used and mean of 3 trials analysed. Cold and heat detection and pain thresholds (CDT, CPT, HDT, HPT) were tested using a peltier thermode (Medoc, Israel) and pressure pain thresholds (PPT) using a digital algometer (Somedic, AB).Results: There was a significant group difference in ALF score (p<.001 all tasks) with OA subjects performing the tasks on average 37% slower than controls. There was a significant group difference in CPT at all sites (p<.001) with OA subjects exhibiting a mean CPT of 11ºC (SD 7.8ºC) compared with controls (mean CPT 2.7ºC (SD 4.1ºC). PPT was reduced at all sites in OA patients, although only significantly at the OA knee (p=.003). There was no group difference in HPT or HDT at any site. In contrast, CDT was significantly less sensitive in the OA knee (p=.021) but not at other sites. SF36 scores showed no significant group difference in Mental Component (p=.961) although there was a significant difference in Physical Component (p=.048). Conclusions: When compared with age and gender-matched controls, subjects with knee OA demonstrated higher levels of cold and mechanical hyperalgesia which spread beyond the affected joint, associated with lower levels of physical function. QST and functional tests may therefore be useful tools with which to evaluate OA patients in the clinical setting and in clinical trials.

    Related items

    Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.

    • Burden of disease and benefits of exercise in fixed airway obstruction asthma
      Turner, Sian Elizabeth (2009)
      Background and research questions. The characterization of chronic persistent asthma in an older adult population is not well defined. This is due to the difficulties in separating the diagnosis of asthma from that of ...
    • Low back related leg pain: development and preliminary validation of a new classification system
      Schäfer, Axel (2009)
      Background summary. Leg pain is a common complaint in relation to low back pain (LBP), present in up to 65% of all patients with LBP. Radiating leg pain is an important predictor for chronicity of LBP and an indicator of ...
    • The effectiveness of pulsed electrical stimulation in the management of osteoarthritis of the knee
      Fary, Robyn (2010)
      Osteoarthritis of the knee is a chronic disease leading to considerable burden on health. Pain, while not always present is the most prominent clinical feature and the cause of significant disability. There are a wide ...
    Advanced search

    Browse

    Communities & CollectionsIssue DateAuthorTitleSubjectDocument TypeThis CollectionIssue DateAuthorTitleSubjectDocument Type

    My Account

    Admin

    Statistics

    Most Popular ItemsStatistics by CountryMost Popular Authors

    Follow Curtin

    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 

    CRICOS Provider Code: 00301JABN: 99 143 842 569TEQSA: PRV12158

    Copyright | Disclaimer | Privacy statement | Accessibility

    Curtin would like to pay respect to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members of our community by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which the Perth campus is located, the Whadjuk people of the Nyungar Nation; and on our Kalgoorlie campus, the Wongutha people of the North-Eastern Goldfields.