Table 3.
Results of somatic sensory testing of the patients in this series
| Patient number, lesion type | Warm threshold unaffected a | Warm threshold affected | Cold threshold unaffected | Cold threshold affected | Cold stimuli, response b | Cold pain threshold: unaffected | Cold pain threshold: affected | Heat pain threshold: unaffected | Heat pain threshold: affected | Brush | Puff of air | Vibration unaffected | VF detect (unaff vs aff) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8, Vc only | Leg NA | NA | NA | NA | Brass rod, ″rubbing a sore″Alcohol drop, NDAcetone drop, less intense than unaff | NA | NA | NA | NA | Normal | Bothersome | Vibration aff ND at 128, 256 Hz | Leg (1.41 vs 4.2 g) |
| 3, Vc only | Hand 36.4 | 36.7 | 30.0 | 29.9 | 20° C waterbath, Painful aff (4.8 ± 0.75) > unaff (3.2 ± 0.95, p = 0.008, t test) hyperalg | 8.6 | 6.3 | 50 | 46.8 | Painful | NA | NA | NA |
| 18, Vc plus | Hand 43.4 | 44.8 hypoesth bilat | 24.3 | 25.4 hypoesth bilat | NA | 15.3 | 20.9 hyperalg | >50 | >50 | Painful | NA | NA | Foot sole (0.45 vs 1.04 g) c |
| 13, Vc plus | Plantar foot 48.5 | 48 hypoesth bilat | 21 | 24.1 hypoesth bilat | NA | 5.9 | <0 hypoalg (aff sens < unaff) | 48.5 | 48.4 | Nonpainful | NA | NA | 1.0 vs 1.4 |
NA, Not available; ND, stimulus not detected; unaff, unaffected; aff, affected; VF, von Frey; sens, sensitivity; hypoesth bilat, hypoesthesia bilaterally; hyperalg, hyperalgesia; hypoalg, hypoalgesia.
aThresholds (in °C) are shown for each of the four thermal modalities (cool, warm, etc.) at sites as indicated in row 2. hypoesth/hypoalg indicates that the threshold is significantly different from the normal range (Greenspan et al., 2004). Hypoesth bilat indicates that the threshold values were significantly different from the normal range on both sides. Sens aff < or > unaff indicates that the threshold on this side indicated greater, or lesser, sensitivity to that stimulus modality than the other side.
bThe responses to application of a brass rod at room temperature, a drop of alcohol, and a drop of acetone to the affected side are stated with respect to the other (unaffected) side. On the unaffected side, the stimuli were routinely detected and rated as nonpainful cold.
cOnly available von Frey data.