Individualized analysis of skin thermosensory thresholds and sensitivity in heat-sensitive people with multiple sclerosis

Figures & data

Table 1. Individual characteristics of the 11 heat-sensitive MS patients tested in this study, along with their z scores and related absolute temperature values in °C for thermal thresholds (i.e. for both warm and cold and on both left and right side of the body); and z scores and related slope values for thermosensitivity. Proportions (%) of patients affected/showing thermosensory abnormalities are reported under each related column. Grey cells highlight z scores for abnormal thermosensory function (i.e. beyond ±1.96 standard deviation of the CTR group). Legend: Rx: right; Lx: left; RR: relapsing-remitting; PP: primary progressive; SP: secondary progressive

						Z-score threshold (absolute threshold °C)
Patient	Sex	Age(y)	Body mass(Kg)	Body side affected	MS ID type	Warm-Right		Warm-Left		Cold-Right		Cold-Left		Z-score sensitivity (regression slopes)
P1	M	59	70.8	Neither	RR	0.08	(30.5)	−5.17	(33.7)	−0.78	(29.5)	−2.90	(28.7)	−0.79	(6.45)
P2	F	57	79.9	Neither	RR	0.50	(30.2)	0.05	(30.5)	0.41	(29.8)	0.43	(29.8)	-0.12	(7.85)
P3	F	57	96.5	Neither	RR	0.50	(30.2)	0.22	(30.4)	-0.38	(29.6)	0.13	(29.7)	1.94	(12.10)
P4	F	53	70.2	Neither	RR	0.36	(30.3)	−7.45	(35.2)	0.41	(29.8)	-0.16	(29.6)	-0.71	(6.63)
P5	F	61	61.8	Left	RR	0.22	(30.4)	0.22	(30.4)	0.02	(29.7)	0.43	(29.8)	-0.16	(7.75)
P6	M	46	75.1	Right	RR	-1.72	(31.8)	-0.46	(30.8)	−1.98	(29.2)	−7.33	(27.3)	0.91	(9.98)
P7	F	43	78.5	Right	RR	-0.48	(30.9)	-0.63	(30.9)	0.02	(28.7)	−1.07	(29.3)	0.31	(8.73)
P8	M	35	69.4	Left	RR	0.36	(30.3)	0.22	(30.4)	−1.98	(29.2)	−1.98	(29.0)	-1.79	(4.38)
P9	M	49	77.6	Left	RR	-9.37	(38.0)	-14.14	(40.0)	−17.88	(25.5)	−26.46	(22.0)	-3.05	(1.78)
P10	F	54	61.3	Left	PP	-0.90	(31.2)	-0.46	(30.8)	0.41	(29.8)	0.13	(29.7)	2.05	(12.33)
P11	M	64	95.9	Left	SP	0.08	(30.5)	0.05	(30.5)	0.02	(29.7)	0.13	(29.7)	-0.01	(8.08)
	abnormalities(%)		RX 18.2% LX 45.4%			9.1%		27.3%		27.3%		36.4%		18.2%

Figure 1. (a) Individual threshold z scores for both cold and warm temperatures and on the left and right side of the body for the 5 MS patients (i.e. P1,4,6,8,9) exhibiting thermosensory abnormalities. Patient number is reported for each value. The gray zone corresponds to the 95% CI of the CTR group, hence values above or below this band indicate a gain or a loss of function, respectively. (b) Thermosensitivity regression lines for the association between stimuli temperature and magnitude estimation, for the CTR group (N = 11) and for the 2 MS patients who exhibited abnormal sensitivity (i.e. slope z score beyond ±1.96 standard deviation of the CTR group)