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Test-Retest Reliability of the Generalized Pain Questionnaire in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Preliminary
Niels Jansen1, Peter M Ten Klooster2, Harald E Vonkeman3
1Biomedical Signals and Systems, University of Twente, Enschede, the Netherlands.
Journal of Pain Research
|December 11, 2023
Summary
The Generalized Pain Questionnaire (GPQ) demonstrates good test-retest reliability for assessing generalized pain hypersensitivity in chronic pain patients. Preliminary reference values are now available for various patient groups and healthy individuals.
Area of Science:
- Pain research
- Clinical assessment tools
- Psychometrics
Background:
- Generalized pain hypersensitivity is a key feature of chronic pain conditions.
- The 7-item Generalized Pain Questionnaire (GPQ) was developed to measure this hypersensitivity.
- Evaluating the reliability and establishing reference values for the GPQ is crucial for its clinical application.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the test-retest reliability of the Generalized Pain Questionnaire (GPQ).
- To establish preliminary reference values for the GPQ in diverse patient populations and healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- Eighty-five Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) patients completed the GPQ twice over two weeks.
- Reliability was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and Bland-Altman analysis.
- Preliminary reference data were collected from nonclinical populations and patients with gout, RA, fibromyalgia, neuropathy, and pain rehabilitation participants.
Main Results:
- The GPQ demonstrated acceptable test-retest reliability with an ICC of 0.78 (95% CI: 0.67 to 0.86).
- The standard error of measurement was 2.22, and the minimal detectable change was 6.2.
- Preliminary mean scores varied significantly across groups, ranging from 0.8 ± 1.2 in nonclinical population 1 to 16.0 ± 5.0 in fibromyalgia patients.
Conclusions:
- The GPQ is a reliable tool for evaluating the presence and intensity of generalized pain hypersensitivity.
- The reported reliability measures and reference values will assist in interpreting future research using the GPQ.
