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Classification of Qualitative Fieldnotes Collected During Quantitative Sensory Testing: A Step Towards the
Martine Bordeleau1,2, Guillaume Léonard1,2, Lynn Gauthier3,4,5,6
1Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada.
Journal of Pain Research
|August 26, 2021
Summary
Adding qualitative data to quantitative sensory testing (QST) helps characterize sensory changes and pain types. This study classified patient-reported sensations and developed a guide for integrating qualitative feedback into QST protocols.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Pain Research
- Sensory Science
Background:
- Quantitative Sensory Testing (QST) is a standard for assessing somatosensory function.
- Integrating qualitative data can enhance the characterization of altered sensory perception and pain phenotypes.
- Phenotyping research benefits from mixed-methods approaches.
Purpose of the Study:
- To classify qualitative fieldnotes of sensory abnormalities from a QST study.
- To develop a qualitative interview guide for integration into QST procedures.
- To advance the implementation of mixed-methods approaches in pain phenotyping.
Main Methods:
- Collected QST data from 48 chronic neuropathic pain patients undergoing spinal cord stimulation (SCS).
- Tested three body areas: SCS-targeted painful limb, contralateral area, and ipsilateral upper limb.
- Encouraged patients to report sensory abnormalities in their own words after each QST trial.
Main Results:
- Qualitative sensory abnormalities were categorized into altered sensory intensities (loss/gain) and altered sensory perceptions (paresthesia/dysesthesia).
- Collected 630 qualitative fieldnotes across tested body areas.
- Proposed a standardized method with 9 questions and 21 codes for qualitative data collection.
Conclusions:
- Qualitative sensory evaluation during QST is valuable for phenotyping research.
- Findings support the development of a mixed-methods protocol for QST.
- This approach enhances the understanding of altered sensory perception in pain conditions.
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