Decreased Pain Sensitivity Among People with Schizophrenia: A Meta-analysis of Experimental Pain Induction Studies

Publication Date

2015

Journal Title

Pain

Abstract

Schizophrenia patients report reduced pain sensitivity in clinical studies, but experimental studies are required to establish pain sensitivity as a potential endophenotype. We conducted a systematic review of electronic databases from database inception until 15/04/2015, including experimental studies investigating pain among schizophrenia-spectrum disorder patients versus healthy controls. A random effect meta-analysis yielding Hedges' g +/-95% confidence intervals (CIs) as the effect size measure (ES) was conducted. Primary outcome was a pooled composite of pain threshold and pain tolerance; secondary outcomes included these parameters individually, plus sensory threshold, physiological pain response, and pain intensity/unpleasantness. Across 17 studies, schizophrenia-spectrum disorder patients (n=387, age=30.7+/-6.9 years, female=31.9%, illness duration=7.0+/-5.7 years) were compared with controls (n=483, age=29.5+/-7.4 years, female=31.0%). Patients had elevated pain threshold/pain tolerance versus controls (ES=0.583, 95%CI=0.212-0.954, p=0.002; studies=15). Results were similar in antipsychotic-free individuals (ES=0.599, 95%CI=0.291-0.907, p

Volume Number

156

Issue Number

11

Pages

2121-31

Document Type

Article

EPub Date

2015/07/25

Status

Faculty

Facility

School of Medicine

Primary Department

Psychiatry

Additional Departments

Molecular Medicine

PMID

26207650

DOI

10.1097/j.pain.0000000000000304

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