Heat pain thresholds: normative data and repeatability

TLDR

Heat‑pain thresholds were measured in 106 healthy adults at the thenar eminence and foot dorsum using a reaction‑time‑inclusive limits method, repeated after two weeks, and ANOVA‑based procedures were applied to 72–76 subjects to establish age‑specific normal ranges and repeatability coefficients. Normative tables with repeatability metrics were provided, showing that a 55 °C conventional test range can identify hyper‑ and hypoalgesia and that repeatability coefficients enable intra‑individual inter‑session comparisons in longitudinal studies.

Abstract

Measurement of thresholds for heat-induced pain was performed on 106 normal subjects, at thenar eminence and foot dorsum, using the reaction time-inclusive method of limits. Tests were repeated 2 weeks following the first test for most of the subjects. After determination that there were no outlying data points and that there was no systematic relationship between magnitude and variability of test scores, data from between 72 and 76 subjects were used to define normal upper and lower ranges by age, as well as repeatability coefficients. This was done through ANOVA-based procedures that extend standard repeatability assessment methods. Normative data tables are presented, with measures of repeatability for the various sites and modalities. For the conventional test range, reaching 55 degrees C, measurement of heat pain thresholds can define both hyper- and hypoalgesia. Application of repeatability coefficients allows for intra-individual inter-session comparison in longitudinal studies.