title: Safety and Utility of Quantitative Sensory Testing among Adults with Sickle Cell Disease: Indicators of Neuropathic Pain?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pain is the hallmark symptom of sickle cell disease (SCD), yet the types of pain that these patients experience, and the underlying mechanisms, have not been well characterized. The study purpose was to determine the safety and utility of a mechanical and thermal quantitative sensory testing (QST) protocol and the feasibility of utilizing neuropathic pain questionnaires among adults with SCD.
  
  
  METHODS
  A convenience sample (N = 25, 18 women, mean age 38.5 ± 12.5 [20-58 years]) completed self-report pain and quality-of-life tools. Subjects also underwent testing with the TSA-II NeuroSensory Analyzer and calibrated von Frey microfilaments.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that the QST protocol was safe and did not stimulate a SCD pain crisis. There was evidence of central sensitization (n = 15), peripheral sensitization (n = 1), a mix of central and peripheral sensitization (n = 8), or no sensitization (n = 1). The neuropathic pain self-report tools were feasible with evidence of construct validity; 40% of the subjects reported S-LANSS scores that were indicative of neuropathic pain and had evidence of central, peripheral or mixed sensitization.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The QST protocol can be safely conducted in adults with SCD and provides evidence of central or peripheral sensitization, which is consistent with a neuropathic component to SCD pain. These findings are novel, warrant a larger confirmatory study, and indicate the need for normative QST data from African American adults and older adults.
authors.affiliation: University of Illinois at Chicago, College of Nursing Department of Biobehavioral Health Science, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.|University of Illinois at Chicago, Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Miriam O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Ezenwa
authors.affiliation: University of Illinois at Chicago, Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.|College of Medicine, College of Pharmacy, Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Robert E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Molokie
authors.affiliation: University of Illinois at Chicago, Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.|Department of Biopharmaceutical Sciences and Cancer Center, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Zaijie Jim
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: University of Illinois at Chicago, College of Nursing Department of Biobehavioral Health Science, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.|University of Illinois at Chicago, Center of Excellence for End-of-Life Transition Research, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Yingwei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: University of Illinois at Chicago, College of Nursing Department of Biobehavioral Health Science, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Marie L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Suarez
authors.affiliation: University of Illinois at Chicago, College of Nursing Department of Biobehavioral Health Science, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Cherese
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pullum
authors.affiliation: University of Illinois at Chicago, College of Nursing Department of Biobehavioral Health Science, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Judith M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Schlaeger
authors.affiliation: College of Dentistry, Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Roger B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Fillingim
authors.affiliation: University of Illinois at Chicago, College of Nursing Department of Biobehavioral Health Science, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.|University of Illinois at Chicago, Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.|University of Illinois at Chicago, Center of Excellence for End-of-Life Transition Research, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Diana J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Wilkie
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000150:complications*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009437:Neuralgia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D010525:Peripheral Nerves; D010812:Physical Stimulation; D011788:Quality of Life; D057566:Self Report; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: PAINReportIt; neuropathic pain; pain; quantitative sensory testing; sickle cell