Table 4.
TCM groups did not differ on QST.
| Score name | TCM#1 (Equal) (Mean ± SD) | TCM#2 (Deficiency) (Mean ± SD) | TCM#3 (Stagnation) (Mean ± SD) | Healthy (Mean ± SD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanical detection threshold (forearm) | 0.2673 ± 0.1852 | 0.3346 ± 0.6821 | 0.4193 ± 0.2986 | 0.4276 ± 0.2605 |
| Mechanical pain threshold (forearm) | 61.00 ± 61.01 | 95.38 ± 57.83 | 70.68 ± 49.89 | 93.64 ± 85.84 |
| Temporal summation (forearm) | 14.31 ± 11.94 | 12.46 ± 9.314 | 15.13 ± 12.70 | 11.54 ± 11.90 |
| Cold detection threshold (forearm) | −1.983 ± 0.7309 | −1.947 ± 0.7643 | −2.907 ± 1.328 | −2.400 ± 1.147 |
| Cold pain threshold (forearm) | −8.864 ± 7.710 | −10.19 ± 7.673 | −9.147 ± 5.725 | −14.41 ± 9.501 |
| Heat detection threshold (forearm) | 3.508 ± 1.179 | 3.233 ± 1.174 | 3.820 ± 2.474 | 3.424 ± 1.710 |
| Heat pain threshold (forearm) | 6.892 ± 4.024 | 8.940 ± 2.817 | 7.927 ± 3.499 | 8.038 ± 3.296 |
| Pressure pain threshold (trapezius) | 243.9 ± 94.83 | 215.1 ± 100.5 | 219.5 ± 76.08 | 271.8 ± 122.8 |
| Pressure pain tolerance (trapezius) | 336.9 ± 145.5 | 324.0 ± 124.8 | 386.6 ± 175.7 | 439.6 ± 244.0 |
| Conditioned pain modulation (trapezius) | 46.67 ± 56.90 | 49.21 ± 101.8 | 70.71 ± 105.2 | 35.53 ± 54.81 |
No significant differences between TCM groups on any QST outcomes were detected although deficiency showed an insignificantly elevated mechanical pain threshold and heat pain threshold in the forearm whereas equal group displayed a slightly but insignificantly increased pressure pain threshold in the trapezius as compared with two other groups.