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Purpose The Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire is a valid measure assessing self-efficacy in individuals with chronic pain. Short-form versions of the measure have been developed to decrease the assessment burden. However, few studies have evaluated the psychometric properties of the short forms in languages other than English. The aim of this study was to evaluate two 2-item short forms and one 4-item short form of the Japanese Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire in terms of internal consistency, criterion validity, structural validity, and construct validity. Methods This was a cross-sectional study. Data from 150 individuals with mixed chronic pain at a pain management center in a university hospital were extracted from clinical records and analyzed. The data included the information of the original version and short forms of the Japanese Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire, and other pain-related measures assessing pain intensity, pain interference, anxiety, depression and pain catastrophizing. Results Item statistics supported the item selection for each of the three short forms. All the short forms demonstrated adequate internal consistency and criterion validity. With respect to construct validity, one of the 2-item short forms failed to meet the criterion regarding the change in the magnitude of correlation with a depression scale. The 4-item short form met all the criteria including structural validity. Conclusion The study findings provide evidence for the reliability and validity of 2- and 4-item versions of the Japanese Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire for use in clinical and research settings., Author(s): Tomonori Adachi [sup.1] [sup.2] [sup.3] , Kiyoka Enomoto [sup.1] [sup.4] , Keiko Yamada [sup.5] [sup.6] [sup.7] , Daisuke Inoue [sup.8] , Miho Nakanishi [sup.1] [sup.9] , Noriyo Takahashi [sup.4] [...]

The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of acupuncture on post-ganglionic muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) in humans. MSNA was measured in 8 healthy adult males by microneurography evaluation of the left peroneal nerve. Blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) were simultaneously recorded. MSNA was evaluated as the burst rate, with total MSNA, BP and HR normalized to their respective baseline values. After 10 min of rest in the supine position, acupuncture was applied to the right ST-36 point in the tibialis anterior muscle for 15 min, with recovery then monitored over a 20-min period. While the burst rate and total MSNA remained constant throughout the study, there was a significant decrease in BP during the real but not sham acupuncture procedure (p < 0.05). HR did not significantly change throughout the study. The results rule out the role of MSNA in the BP fall during acupuncture at the ST-36 point, and suggest possible involvement of other factors in the fall of BP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to examine the variability in sensory test of tactile results using Semmes-Weinstein monofilament (SWM). At present, several methods for measuring the tactile sensitivity are clinically used in diabetic peripheral neuropathy screening. One of these methods is a touch test that uses a device with nylon SWMs, i.e., SWMs embedded in a plastic handle. A small pushing force is applied at the handle to bow the filaments. Because of its ease and simplicity, the SWM test is conducted at the patient's bedside in a hospital. However, previous studies have reported some problems with this test. Studies have shown variations in the measured data, and it is uncertain whether these variations are caused by mechanical properties of the nylon fiber or by the motion of the operator's hands. We carried out two experiments to examine the effect of (1) the variability caused by the human operator conducting the SWM test on the test results and (2) the number of compressions of the SWM on the test results. In experiment 1, we measured the velocity of the operator's hand motion and the buckling force of the SWMs. The results showed variability in the hand motion of the operator conducting the SWM tests. In experiment 2, we measured the buckling force of the SWMs under a controlled velocity. We compared the buckling force of the SWMs through a number of trials. These results showed that the buckling force gradually decreases as the number of test cycles increase. In conclusion, we find that the accuracy of the SWM tests is a factor of the number of test cycles. Additionally, manual training for standardizing skills of medical staff members needs to be developed. Furthermore, the characteristics of the SWMs deteriorated over time. In future work, we aimto find a solution to minimize the variability in the SWM test results and develop a new testing system that uses tactile sensibility for diabetic peripheral neuropathy screening.

The purpose of this study is to develop smart equipment to quantify plantar tactile sensibility for the early diagnosis and tracking of peripheral neuropathy caused by diabetes mellitus. In this paper, we offer a new testing system that is composed of a plantar tactile stimulation platform with a small moving contactor to stretch the skin tangentially, a response switch for each tactile stimulus, a motor control box, and a personal computer (PC) for psychophysical data processing. This quantitative sensory testing system has detailed measurements available and is easy to use compared with the conventional testing devices, such as von Frey monofilaments, pin-prick testing devices, and current perception threshold testers. When using our testing system in a weight-bearing position, we observed that the plantar tactile thresholds for the tangential stretching stimulus on the plantar surface of the foot ranged from approximately 10 um to 30 um for healthy subjects. However, the threshold for a subject with diabetes was nearly three times higher than that for healthy subjects. The significant difference between these values suggests that the plantar sensory evaluation system using the lateral skin stretch stimulation can be used for early diagnosis, for the accurate staging of diabetic neuropathy, and for evaluating its progression noninvasively in a clinic and at home.

We developed a new, sensitive evaluation method for upper extremity dexterity in patients with hemiparesis after stroke. This evaluation method consists of three types of test: the Finger Individual Movement Test, Hand Pronation and Supination Test, and Finger Tapping Test. In each test, the number of movements that can be performed during a 10-s period is measured. Data obtained by these 10-s tests were compared with those obtained by the Nine-Hole Peg Test (NHPT), and the usefulness of this new method was evaluated. In patients with hemiparesis after stroke, three types of 10-s test and NHPT were performed for the upper extremities on both the affected and unaffected sides. Simple correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis of data obtained by the three types of test and NHPT were performed using the affected/unaffected ratios. Twenty patients participated (54-85 years; 0.23-43.83 months after stroke) with mild upper extremity hemiparesis. Significant correlations exist between Finger Individual Movement Test and NHPT data (r=-0.584, P=0.0068) and between Hand Pronation and Supination Test and NHPT data (r=-0.707, P=0.0005). The multiple regression analysis model using the three types of 10-s test as explanatory variables was significant (P=0.0025) and explained 52.4% of the NHPT results. A significant association was observed between NHPT and the 10-s tests. The 10-s tests require no special examination instruments and can be readily performed in a short period. This evaluation method consisting of the 10-s tests can be a new clinical parameter of dexterity in patients with hemiparesis after stroke.