The following is a summary of “Preliminary characterization of age and chronic low back pain effects on multimodal pain sensitivity: a comparison study in older adults with and without chronic low back pain,” published in the March 2024 issue of Pain by Knox et al.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study investigating whether pain hypersensitivity becomes more pronounced with aging and is exacerbated in older adults with chronic low back pain (CLBP).
They examined pain sensitivity in older adults with CLBP (n=25), pain-free sex-matched older adults (n=25), and younger adults (n=25). Pain sensitivity was evaluated through eight measures, including static (pressure and heat pain thresholds, fixed mechanical and cold pain) and dynamic pain responses (mechanical temporal summation, thermal ramp and hold, heat pain aftersensations, and conditioned pain modulation).
The results showed excellent test-retest reliability for pain sensitivity (ICC ≥ 0.500; P’S<0.05). A notable main effect was observed for groups (partial η2 = 0.413, P<0.001), showing differences in pain sensitivity between groups on 5 of 8 tests (P’S≤0.043). Both older adult groups exhibited heightened pain facilitation and reduced pain inhibition during dynamic pain sensitivity testing compared to younger pain-free adults (P’S≤0.044). Despite some distinctions, static and dynamic pain sensitivity responses were similar between older adults with and without chronic LBP (P’S>0.05). Pain sensitivity in older adults can be reliably assessed, with age potentially contributing to hypersensitivity and impacting chronic pain in older people.
Investigators concluded that while centrally mediated pain sensitization appears to be heightened with aging, further research is needed to separate its influence from CLBP in older adults definitively.
Source: jpain.org/article/S1526-5900(24)00426-7/abstract#%20
