Association of Pain Sensitization and Conditioned Pain Modulation to Pain Patterns in Knee Osteoarthritis

OBJECTIVE: To examine the cross-sectional association of ascending pain mechanisms, implicated in pain sensitization, and descending pain modulation with pain patterns and unpredictability of pain. METHODS: The Multicenter Osteoarthritis Study is a longitudinal cohort of older adults with or at risk of knee osteoarthritis. Peripheral and central ascending pain mechanisms were assessed using quantitative sensory tests, pressure pain thresholds …