The central sensitization inventory (CSI): Establishing clinically significant values for identifying central sensitivity syndromes in an outpatient chronic pain sample

Randy Neblett, Howard Cohen, Yunhee Choi, Meredith M. Hartzell, Mark Williams, Tom G. Mayer, Robert J. Gatchel

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

365 Scopus citations

Abstract

Central sensitization (CS) is a proposed physiological phenomenon in which central nervous system neurons become hyperexcitable, resulting in hypersensitivity to both noxious and non-noxious stimuli. The term central sensitivity syndrome (CSS) describes a group of medically indistinct (or nonspecific) disorders, such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and irritable bowel syndrome, for which CS may be a common etiology. In a previous study, the Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI) was introduced as a screening instrument for clinicians to help identify patients with a CSS. It was found to have high reliability and validity (test-retest reliability = .82; Cronbach's alpha = .88). The present study investigated a cohort of 121 patients who were referred to a multidisciplinary pain center, which specializes in the assessment and treatment of complex pain and psychophysiological disorders, including CSSs. A large percentage of patients (n = 89, 74%) met clinical criteria for one or more CSSs, and CSI scores were positively correlated with the number of diagnosed CSSs. A receiver operating characteristic analysis determined that a CSI score of 40 out of 100 best distinguished between the CSS patient group and a nonpatient comparison sample (N = 129) (area under the curve = .86, sensitivity = 81%, specificity = 75%). Perspective: The CSI is a new self-report screening instrument to help identify patients with CSSs, including fibromyalgia. The present study investigated CSI scores in a heterogeneous pain population with a large percentage of CSSs, and a normative nonclinical sample to determine a clinically relevant cutoff value.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)438-445
Number of pages8
JournalJournal of Pain
Volume14
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - May 2013

Keywords

  • Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI)
  • central sensitivity syndrome
  • chronic widespread pain
  • fibromyalgia
  • irritable bowel syndrome

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