• Eva Huysmans, Lisa Goudman, Wouter Van Bogaert, Jo Nijs, Koen Putman, Maarten Moens, Ronald Buyl, Kelly Ickmans, Garcia BarajasGuillermoGDepartment of Physical and Occupational Therapy, Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain., Josue Fernández-Carnero, and Iris Coppieters.
• Pain in Motion Research Group (PAIN), Department of Physiotherapy, Human Physiology and Anatomy, Faculty of Physical Education & Physiotherapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.
• Pain Med. 2023 Feb 1; 24 (2): 139149139-149.

ObjectiveThe present cross-sectional study aims to unravel associations of pain intensity and cognitions with quantitative sensory testing in people scheduled for surgery for lumbar radiculopathy. Additionally, insight will be provided into the presence of dysfunctional nociceptive processing and maladaptive pain cognitions in this population.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingData from three hospitals in Belgium.SubjectsThe final sample comprised 120 participants with lumbar radiculopathy scheduled for surgery, included between March 2016 and April 2019.MethodsSelf-reported pain intensity was assessed on a visual analog scale, and pain cognitions were assessed with self-reported questionnaires (Pain Catastrophizing Scale, Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia, and Pain Vigilance and Awareness Questionnaire). Quantitative sensory testing (detection thresholds, pain thresholds, temporal summation, and conditioned pain modulation) was evaluated, as well.ResultsEvidence was found for the presence of an impaired inhibitory response to nociceptive stimuli and maladaptive pain cognitions in this population. Kinesiophobia was found to be present to a maladaptive degree in the majority of the patients (n = 106 [88%]). Significant, but weak, associations between electrical pain thresholds at the sural nerves and leg pain intensity (sural nerve symptomatic side: r = -0.23; P = 0.01; non-symptomatic side: r = -0.22; P = 0.02) and kinesiophobia levels (sural nerve non-symptomatic side: r = -0.26; P = 0.006) were identified.ConclusionsElectrical detection thresholds and correlates for endogenous nociceptive facilitation and inhibition were not found to be related to any of the pain cognitions or to pain intensity in people scheduled to undergo surgery for lumbar radiculopathy.© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Academy of Pain Medicine. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

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