Objective: To evaluate the usefulness of the quantitative assessment of pain perception (QAPP) in diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN) patients.
Methods: Thirty-two subjects with DPN were enrolled in this study. The subjects' pain perception was assessed quantitatively. Current perception threshold (CPT) and pain equivalent current (PEC) were recorded. All patients were tested with a nerve conduction study (NCS) for evaluation of DPN and pain-related evoked potential (PREP) for evaluation of small fiber neuropathy (SFN) on bilateral upper and lower limbs. All patients were asked to participate in tests such as visual analogue scale (VAS) and SF-36 Health Survey Version 2 to evaluate their subjective pain and quality of life, respectively.
Results: The PEC of QAPP showed significant correlations with VAS (p=0.002) and physical function surveyed with SF-36 Health Survey Version 2 (p=0.035). The results of QAPP had no correlation with NCS, but there was a significant relationship between the CPT of QAPP and PREP (p=0.003).
Conclusion: The QAPP may be useful not only in providing objective evaluations of subjective pain in patients with DPN but also in the assessment of diabetic SFN.
Keywords: Diabetic neuropathies; Nociceptive pain; Pain measurement; Small fiber neuropathy.