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A Protocol of Manual Tests to Measure Sensation and Pain in Humans
Published on: December 19, 2016
Intra- and interobserver reliability of sensibility testing in asymptomatic individuals
T D Rozental1, P K Beredjiklian, T M Guyette
1Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, USA.
Annals of Plastic Surgery
|July 7, 2000
Summary
Semmes-Weinstein monofilaments and two-point discrimination tests show poor reliability for evaluating peripheral nerve health in asymptomatic individuals. These common clinical tools may not provide a dependable baseline for comparison in nerve injury assessments.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Clinical Neurology
- Rehabilitation Medicine
Background:
- Peripheral nerve injuries and compression syndromes are frequently assessed using threshold and innervation density tests.
- Semmes-Weinstein monofilaments and two-point discrimination are standard clinical tools for evaluating sensory function.
- Reliability of these tests is crucial for accurate diagnosis and monitoring of neurological conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the inter- and intraobserver reliability of Semmes-Weinstein monofilaments (SWMS) and static and moving two-point discrimination (TPD).
- To assess the consistency of these sensory testing methods in a cohort of healthy volunteers.
- To evaluate the suitability of these tests for establishing baseline measurements in unaffected individuals.
Main Methods:
- Forty-eight healthy volunteers participated in the study.
- Inter- and intraobserver reliability for SWMS and static/moving TPD were assessed.
- Kappa coefficients were calculated to quantify agreement between and within examiners.
Main Results:
- Interexaminer reliability for SWMS ranged from fair to moderate for median and ulnar nerve distributions.
- Interexaminer reliability for static and moving TPD was slight to moderate.
- Intraobserver reliability for both SWMS and TPD was consistently slight to fair for both examiners.
Conclusions:
- Semmes-Weinstein monofilaments and two-point discrimination tests demonstrate unreliable measurements in asymptomatic individuals.
- These tests may not provide a reliable standard for comparing abnormal values in pathological states.
- Clinical utility in monitoring neurological function is acknowledged, but baseline comparisons require caution.
