Correlation Between Thermal Patterns of Infrared Thermal Imaging and Clinical Phenotype in Patients With Postherpetic Neuralgia

Correlation Between Different Thermal Patterns of Infrared Thermal Imaging and Clinical Phenotype and Prognosis in Patients With Postherpetic Neuralgia

Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is the most frequent complication of herpes zoster(HZ) and is defined as pain persisting for >1month after the healing of herpetic skin lesion or pain persisting for > 3 months following the onset of HZ. PHN manifests as spontaneous throbbing, stabbing, or burning, usually accompanied by various abnormal sensory symptoms , which affect 5-20% of patients with HZ. Due to the lack of accurate and objective auxiliary examination tools, it is difficult for diagnosis and treatment of PHN. As a non-invasive examination method, infrared thermal imaging (IRT) can play a role in the diagnosis and treatment of neuropathic pain by objectively reflecting the changes and distribution characteristics of human body surface temperature. However, there are few studies on the relationship between clinical phenotype and thermal infrared image temperature changes in PHN patients, and the relationship between the thermal pattern of skin temperature and the duration of disease and treatment progress in PHN patients has not been fully elucidated. This study was conducted to investigate the relationship of thermal imaging data with the duration of the disease, clinical phenotype, treatment effect, in order to explore the role of infrared thermal imaging in the diagnosis and treatment of PHN. Methods：all PHN patients will included. At each visit, a pain NRS score was performed, and clinical phenotypes were tested and labeled, including: allodynia, numbness, itching, heat sensation, cold sensation, and the most painful area(MPA). Infrared thermal imaging was performed, the Average Relative Temperature (ART) within the affected area and the contralateral area was compared. The relationship between the temperature change and duration of the disease, clinical phenotype, treatment effect was assessed.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Postherpetic Neuralgia; Infrared Thermal Imaging

Detailed Description

patients with the follow conditions were excluded: 1)The skin area was lesions because of other disease(trauma, inflammation, skin scar, skin disease, tumor, etc.); 2) history of psychiatric diseases, chronic pain. 3) inabilities to complete IRT examination.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Anticipated): 166

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Xianwei Zhang, Doctor; Phone Number: (+86)13037154560; Email: ourpain@163.com

Study Locations

• China
  • Hubei
    • Wuhan, Hubei, China, 430030
      • Recruiting
      • Department of Anesthesiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
      • Contact: cai'e Zhang, Doctor; Email: zhangcaie1972@126.com
      • Principal Investigator: Xueqin Cao, master

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 16 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

all PHN patients in our hospital

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• 1) patients>18 years-old 2) pain lasts at least 1 month after lesion crusting 3) Agreed to participate the research

Exclusion Criteria:

• 1))the skin area was lesions because of other disease(trauma, inflammation, skin scar, skin disease, tumor, etc.); 2) history of psychiatric diseases, chronic pain. 3)inabilities to complete IRT examination. 4) Disagree to participate to the research

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Observational Models: Cohort
• Time Perspectives: Prospective

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Thermal pattern difference between affected side and contralateral side	Thermal pattern difference between affected side and contralateral side	1 year
temperature difference between affected side and contralateral side	temperature difference between affected side and contralateral side	1 year

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
the relationship between the temperature change and disease duration	the relationship between the temperature change and disease duration	1 year
the relationship between the temperature change and Pain Scores on Visual Analog Scale at each visit	the relationship between the temperature change and Pain Scores on Visual Analog Scale at each visit	1 year
the relationship between the temperature change and clinical phenotype	the relationship between the temperature change and clinical phenotype	1 year
the relationship between the temperature change and treatment effect	the relationship between the temperature change and treatment effect	1 year

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Xianwei Zhang，MD
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Xianwei Zhang, Doctor, Huazhong University of Science and Technology

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): October 1, 2022
• Primary Completion (Anticipated): October 1, 2023
• Study Completion (Anticipated): October 1, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: October 1, 2022
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 1, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): October 5, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): October 5, 2022
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 1, 2022
• Last Verified: October 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: postherpetic neuralgia; infrared thermal imaging; clinical phenotype; disease course
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Nervous System Diseases; Pain; Neurologic Manifestations; Neuromuscular Diseases; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases; Neuralgia; Neuralgia, Postherpetic
• Other Study ID Numbers: postherpetic neuralgia

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No