Quantitative sensory testing and association with cervical spine radiculopathy disability: Systematic review.

Cervical spine radiculopathy (CSR) is a complex clinical presentation that can have negative impacts on a person’s physical and mental health and wellbeing and engagement with activities of daily living. Somatosensory phenotypes of CSR can be assessed through quantitative sensory testing (QST). However, to date no systematic review has been undertaken to determine the association between QST and disability in individuals with CSR. Accordingly, this present study sets out to investigate this.

A systematic review was conducted including searches of PubMed (MEDLINE), EMBASE and CINHAL from inception to 22 March 2020. Quantitative studies investigating CSR populations with QST measurements and association with disability were included. One reviewer conducted the search strategy. Two reviewers independently assessed eligibility of all search results and completed methodological quality assessment using a modified Downs and Black checklist. Data were analysed narratively.

Four studies were eligible for inclusion in the final review. The quality of these studies was high. There were no statistically significant associations between QST and disability among people with CSR.
Conclusions

This systematic review fulfilled the aim of investigating the association between QST and disability in people with CSR. From the four studies included for review, no study reported an association. Future research is required to standardise CSR diagnostic criteria. QST protocols and further prospective studies involving patients are likely to enhance our understanding of the clinical presentation of CSR.