Pain and somatosensory findings in patients 3 years after total hip arthroplasty

TY - JOUR

T1 - Pain and somatosensory findings in patients 3 years after total hip arthroplasty

AU - Nikolajsen, Lone

AU - Kristensen, Anders D

AU - Thillemann, Theis M

AU - Jurik, Anne Grethe

AU - Rasmussen, Thomas

AU - Kehlet, Henrik

AU - Jensen, Troels S

N1 - Keywords: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip; Chronic Disease; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Functional Laterality; Hot Temperature; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Neurotic Disorders; Pain Measurement; Pain, Postoperative; Pressure; Sensation Disorders; Sensory Thresholds; Temperature Sense; Touch

PY - 2009

Y1 - 2009

N2 - BACKGROUND: Chronic hip pain after total hip arthroplasty (THA) is a significant problem, but the aetiology remains unclear. AIMS: To determine sensory function in patients with chronic hip pain 3 years after THA. Patients without hip pain after THA served as controls. METHODS: Eighteen patients with chronic hip pain and 18 controls without chronic hip pain were recruited from a previous questionnaire study about hip pain after total hip arthroplasty. All participants answered questions about pain and mental vulnerability and underwent clinical examination followed by quantitative sensory testing (brush-evoked allodynia, pinprick hyperalgesia, mechanical and thermal thresholds). RESULTS: Brush-evoked allodynia was present in 4 patients with hip pain (P=0.1) and pinprick hyperalgesia (P=0.02) was more frequent in patients with chronic hip pain. Mechanical and thermal thresholds were similar in patients and controls. Patients with chronic hip pain had higher scores on the mental vulnerability scale (P<0.001). Chronic hip pain was significantly associated with low back pain (P=0.002). CONCLUSIONS: We found signs of hypersensitivity on the operated side, which was more prominent in patients with pain. Pain referred from the back or deeper structures in the hip seems to play a role for the pain in subgroups of patients. In addition, chronic hip pain was associated with mental vulnerability.

AB - BACKGROUND: Chronic hip pain after total hip arthroplasty (THA) is a significant problem, but the aetiology remains unclear. AIMS: To determine sensory function in patients with chronic hip pain 3 years after THA. Patients without hip pain after THA served as controls. METHODS: Eighteen patients with chronic hip pain and 18 controls without chronic hip pain were recruited from a previous questionnaire study about hip pain after total hip arthroplasty. All participants answered questions about pain and mental vulnerability and underwent clinical examination followed by quantitative sensory testing (brush-evoked allodynia, pinprick hyperalgesia, mechanical and thermal thresholds). RESULTS: Brush-evoked allodynia was present in 4 patients with hip pain (P=0.1) and pinprick hyperalgesia (P=0.02) was more frequent in patients with chronic hip pain. Mechanical and thermal thresholds were similar in patients and controls. Patients with chronic hip pain had higher scores on the mental vulnerability scale (P<0.001). Chronic hip pain was significantly associated with low back pain (P=0.002). CONCLUSIONS: We found signs of hypersensitivity on the operated side, which was more prominent in patients with pain. Pain referred from the back or deeper structures in the hip seems to play a role for the pain in subgroups of patients. In addition, chronic hip pain was associated with mental vulnerability.

U2 - 10.1016/j.ejpain.2008.06.016

DO - 10.1016/j.ejpain.2008.06.016

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 18760945

SN - 1090-3801

VL - 13

SP - 576

EP - 581

JO - European Journal of Pain

JF - European Journal of Pain

IS - 6

ER -