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Endogenous pain inhibition is unrelated to autonomic responses in acute whiplash-associated disorders. Margot De Kooning, MSc; Liesbeth Daenen, PhD; Nathalie Roussel, PhD; Patrick Cras, PhD, MD; Ronald Buyl, PhD; Kelly Ickmans, PhD; Filip Struyf, PhD; Jo Nijs, PhD. Aim
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Endogenous pain inhibition is unrelated to autonomic responses in acute whiplash-associated disorders Margot De Kooning, MSc; Liesbeth Daenen, PhD; Nathalie Roussel, PhD; Patrick Cras, PhD, MD; Ronald Buyl, PhD; Kelly Ickmans, PhD; Filip Struyf, PhD; Jo Nijs, PhD
Aim • Compare autonomic response to painful stimuli between patients with acute and chronic whiplash-associated disorder (WAD) and healthy controls. • Examine role of autonomic nervous system for explaining inefficient endogenous pain inhibition in acute WAD. • Relevance • Patients with acute WAD demonstrate inefficient endogenous pain inhibition and may experience dysfunction in autonomic nervous system reactivity to pain.
Method • Evaluate autonomic nervous system at rest and during painful stimuli. • 17 patients with acute WAD. • 30 patients with chronic WAD. • 31 healthy controls. • Skin conductance and heart rate variability (HRV) parameters monitored continuously during conditioned pain modulation.
Results • Significant autonomic response to pain present for skin conductance and 2 HRV parameters in all experimental groups. • Interaction effect of skin conductance response to pain but not in HRV responses in any group. • No significant correlations between pain, pressure pain thresholds, pain inhibition, and any autonomic parameters in patients with acute WAD.
Conclusion • This study refutes autonomic dysfunction at rest and in response to pain in acute WAD. • Dysfunctional conditioned pain modulation appears unrelated to autonomic responses to pain.