TY - JOUR
T1 - Correlations between the Central Sensitization Inventory and measures of endogenous pain modulation in women with fibromyalgia
AU - Van Oosterwijck, Sophie
AU - Billens, Amber
AU - Apeldoorn, Adri T.
AU - Meeus, Mira
AU - Beckers, Laura W.M.E.
AU - Oosterwijk, René
AU - John, Katinka
AU - Nijs, Jo
AU - Van Oosterwijck, Jessica
AU - Smeets, Rob J.E.M.
N1 - Funding Information:
There was no funding available for the present study. Sophie Van Oosterwijck is a PhD research fellow funded by the Research Foundation \u2013 Flanders (FWO) [11A8620N]. Amber Billens is a pre-doctoral researcher appointed on a Starting Grant from the Special Research Fund (BOF) from Ghent University , Belgium, received by Jessica Van Oosterwijck [BOF/STA/201909/054]. Jo Nijs and the Vrije Universiteit Brussel received lecturing/teaching fees from various professional associations and educational organizations.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 The Authors.
PY - 2025/11/1
Y1 - 2025/11/1
N2 - Background The Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI) is a self-report measure to identify key symptoms of human assumed central sensitization (HACS). However, research examining how the CSI relates to experimental pain measures in a population with predominant HACS is scarce. Objectives This study examined correlations between the CSI and experimental pain measures in 54 women with fibromyalgia. Design Cross-sectional study. Method The CSI was administered along with questionnaires of illness perception (i.e., IPQ), anxiety and depression (i.e., HADS), and health-related quality of life (i.e., RAND-36). Pressure pain thresholds (PPT), conditioned pain modulation (CPM), and exercise-induced hypoalgesia (EIH) were assessed. PPT were examined at (1) the center of the trapezius muscle, (2) the web space between the thumb and index finger, and (3) the proximal third of the calf muscle. For CPM, PPT were reassessed during and after immersion of the non-dominant hand in hot water. EIH was determined using the Aerobic Power Submaximal Exercise Test, after which PPT were reassessed. Absolute and percentage change scores in PPT during and after immersion (i.e., parallel and sequential CPM) and the submaximal exercise test (i.e., EIH) were calculated. Results Only a negligible positive correlation between the CSI and parallel % CPM was found (r = 0.277, p = 0.046). Several weak-to-moderate correlations with the HADS, IPQ, and RAND-36 questionnaires suggest that the CSI is related to psychological constructs. Conclusions The results of the present study could not confirm associations between the CSI and experimental pain measures and suggest a closer relationship with psychological distress in patients with fibromyalgia.
AB - Background The Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI) is a self-report measure to identify key symptoms of human assumed central sensitization (HACS). However, research examining how the CSI relates to experimental pain measures in a population with predominant HACS is scarce. Objectives This study examined correlations between the CSI and experimental pain measures in 54 women with fibromyalgia. Design Cross-sectional study. Method The CSI was administered along with questionnaires of illness perception (i.e., IPQ), anxiety and depression (i.e., HADS), and health-related quality of life (i.e., RAND-36). Pressure pain thresholds (PPT), conditioned pain modulation (CPM), and exercise-induced hypoalgesia (EIH) were assessed. PPT were examined at (1) the center of the trapezius muscle, (2) the web space between the thumb and index finger, and (3) the proximal third of the calf muscle. For CPM, PPT were reassessed during and after immersion of the non-dominant hand in hot water. EIH was determined using the Aerobic Power Submaximal Exercise Test, after which PPT were reassessed. Absolute and percentage change scores in PPT during and after immersion (i.e., parallel and sequential CPM) and the submaximal exercise test (i.e., EIH) were calculated. Results Only a negligible positive correlation between the CSI and parallel % CPM was found (r = 0.277, p = 0.046). Several weak-to-moderate correlations with the HADS, IPQ, and RAND-36 questionnaires suggest that the CSI is related to psychological constructs. Conclusions The results of the present study could not confirm associations between the CSI and experimental pain measures and suggest a closer relationship with psychological distress in patients with fibromyalgia.
KW - Central sensitization inventory
KW - Conditioned pain modulation
KW - Exercise-induced hypoalgesia
KW - Fibromyalgia
KW - Pain modulation
U2 - 10.1016/j.msksp.2025.103436
DO - 10.1016/j.msksp.2025.103436
M3 - Article
SN - 2468-7812
VL - 80
JO - Musculoskeletal science and practice
JF - Musculoskeletal science and practice
M1 - 103436
ER -