Sensory Perception in Lumbosacral Radiculopathy with Radicular Pain: Feasibility Study of Multimodal Bedside-Suitable Somatosensory Testing.

BACKGROUND: Somatosensory testing could be useful in stratifying pain patients and improving pain treatment guidelines. Bedside-suitable techniques are searched for application in daily clinical practice. This study aimed to characterize chronic unilateral lumbosacral radiculopathy (LSR) patients with radicular pain using multimodal bedside-suitable somatosensory testing. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We evaluated 50 chronic unilateral LSR patients with radicular pain (LSR group) and 24 controls (Control group). Sensory testing was performed using a battery of bedside sensory tests (10g monofilament, 200-400 mN brush, Lindblom rollers with controlled 25°C and 40°C temperature, and 40g neurological pin and investigator's finger pressure). Participants had to rate their sensory perceptions on both legs at multiple test points within L3 to S2 dermatomes. Characteristics of the testing process and sensory disturbances were analyzed. RESULTS: LSR group showed sensory disturbances in 82% of patients. The Control group showed no sensory disturbances. Sensory testing took longer (p < 0.001) in the LSR group (29.3 ± 6.5 minutes per patient) than in the Control group (20.5 ± 5.2). Nine sensory phenotypes were detected in the LSR group according to individual sensory disturbances within 5 superficial tests. CONCLUSIONS: The applied multimodal bedside-suitable somatosensory testing battery is suitable for sensory evaluation and characterization of LSR patients. Grouping of allied sensory phenotypes revealed some tendencies in pain intensity characteristics.

Qualitative Sensory Testing in Outcome Prediction of Transforaminal Epidural Steroid Injection for Chronic Painful Unilateral Lumbosacral Radiculopathy: Prospective Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: Transforaminal epidural steroid injection (TFESI) is widely practiced for the treatment of radicular pain. As its effectiveness is still subject to debate, a better patient selection for TFESI is necessary. We aimed to evaluate the potential of bedside-suitable qualitative sensory testing (QualST) to determine the early effectiveness of TFESI for the treatment of chronic lumbosacral radiculopathy (LSR)-related pain. METHODS: Thirty-six patients with chronic painful unilateral LSR were evaluated in a prospective observational study using five standardized sensory tests (10 g monofilament, 200 to 400 mN brush, Lindblom rollers with controlled 25 and 40°C temperature, and 40 g neurological pin). Quality of sensory perceptions on the painful leg was compared to the non-painful leg and rated as normal sensitivity, hyposensitivity, or hypersensitivity. Pain and related characteristics were evaluated before TFESI, 1 week after and 4 weeks after intervention. RESULTS: Seven sensory phenotypes were distinguished according to individual sets of sensory disturbances acquired with five sensory tests. Patients were grouped into four groups of allied phenotypes (normal sensitivity, hyposensitivity to 1 to 3 modalities, hyposensitivity to 4 to 5 modalities, and hypersensitivity). The whole study group showed significant improvement in most parameters of outcome measurements. Statistical analysis revealed some significant differences between sensory groups in patient-reported treatment effect scales after 4 weeks. We also detected significant differences between sensory groups in repeated measures after 1 and 4 weeks in some pain intensity characteristics and patient-reported treatment effect scales. CONCLUSION: QualST might be clinically applicable for detecting patient subgroups that could differ in the early treatment results of radicular pain by TFESI.

Intrathecal Baclofen Therapy for the Treatment of Spasticity in Lithuania.

Spasticity of cerebral or spinal origin severely impairs an individual's functional ability and quality of life. Intrathecal baclofen (ITB) therapy via an implantable pump is indicated for use in patients unresponsive to oral antispasmodics. ITB therapy improves the daily caring for and relief of painful spasms. In Lithuania, ITB therapy was introduced in clinical practice just recently. We share our experience of spasticity management with the ITB pump system in five patients at Vilnius University Hospital Santariskiu Klinikos. Four patients had spastic tetraplegia associated with cerebral palsy, and one patient developed spastic paraplegia after a spinal epidural abscess.