Abstract
The cold pressor task (CPT) is an ethical experimental pain task widely used by pediatric
pain researchers to examine a variety of important theoretical and clinical questions.
The purpose of this systematic review was to describe contemporary use of the CPT
in pediatric pain research to identify possible methodological and procedural inconsistencies
and inform future research. All papers using the CPT to examine pain-related outcomes
in children ≤18 years old published after 2005 were identified, 2005 being when published
pediatric CPT studies were last reviewed and guidelines for pediatric use of the CPT
were published. Information related to samples, CPT methodology, and pain outcomes
was recorded. Thirty-six published papers, involving 2,242 children (aged 3–18 years)
from both healthy and clinical samples, met review inclusion criteria. Several aspects
of CPT methodology with significant potential to impact pain outcomes were found to
be inconsistently implemented and reported, including water temperature, use of informed
versus uninformed ceilings, and the presence of observers during the CPT. Self-report
child pain intensity and pain tolerance were common outcomes. A number of refinements
for use of the CPT in pediatric pain research are suggested.
Perspective
The cold pressor task is a commonly used experimental method in pediatric pain research.
This systematic review reveals important methodological inconsistencies in its use
and suggestions for improvements to previously published guidelines.
Key words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: July 30, 2012
Footnotes
K.A. Birnie is a Vanier Canada Graduate Scholar (Canadian Institutes of Health Research). M. Petter and M. Noel are supported by CGS Doctoral Awards from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). K.A. Birnie, M. Petter, and M. Noel are Killam Scholars. K.E. Boerner is supported by an IWK Graduate Student Research Scholarship and the McCarlie Graduate Student Award. K.A. Birnie, M. Petter, K.E. Boerner, and M. Noel are all trainee members of Pain in Child Health, a strategic research training initiative of CIHR. C.T. Chambers holds a Canada Research Chair and her research is supported by the Canadian Foundation for Innovation and CIHR. The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
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Copyright
© 2012 American Pain Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
