2001. DRSI series. Diagnosis.

Diagnosis of pain problems depends very much on whether there is or ever has been tissue damage. Diagnostic methods will depend on causation assumptions and in turn, knowledge about causation depends on diagnostic method. the potential for circularity is apparent. In this setting, researchers attempt to identify diagnosis and causation.

Evidence from:

M Bennet. Pain. May (2001) Vol.92 #1-2 p 147

The diagnostic method in which variables were combined was found to have a sensitivity of 83% and specificity 87% with a corresponding positive predictive value of 86% and a negative predictive value of 84%.

The test would tend to be used as evidence of tissue damage in RSI and back pain cases.

The Radar report is available to subscribers:

SK 1#5 2

Evidence from:

C Meng et al. Journal of Rheumatology. June (2001) Vol. 28 #6 p 1271.

Blood flow may be a response to or a cause of muscle pain. Either way its variation with MSD risk factor exposure would be of interest. This proof-of-principle study showed blood flow variation with disease status.

The Radar report is available to subscribers:

SK 1#6 1

Evidence from:

OB Scholtz et al. Behavioural Research and Therapy. December (2001) Vol. 39 #12 p 1429.

Do unexplained pain cases have a muscle tension problem? If so, why? Muscles were monitored during relaxation tasks.

Pain cases were better at relaxation than were normal controls.

The Radar report is available to subscribers:

SK 1#11 2