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. 2024 Oct 31;14(21):2447.
doi: 10.3390/diagnostics14212447.

Assessing Pain Levels Using Bioelectrical Impedance in Low Back Pain Patients: Clinical Performance Evaluation

Seungwan Jang  1 , Jong Gab Ho  1 , A-Ram Jo  2 , Seung Mo Yoo  3 , Hoonyoung Lee  2 , Hyunyoung Lee  1 , Young Kim  1 , Se Dong Min  1   4
Affiliations

Assessing Pain Levels Using Bioelectrical Impedance in Low Back Pain Patients: Clinical Performance Evaluation

Seungwan Jang et al. Diagnostics (Basel). .

Abstract

Background/objectives: Musculoskeletal pain is one of the leading causes of years lived with disability worldwide and has a negative impact on daily life and quality of life.

Methods: The purpose of this study was to analyze the electrical characteristics of back pain by measuring and calculating bioelectrical impedance variables (R, Z, PA) in 85 subjects (45 in the Healthy group and 40 in the LBP group). Additionally, impedance measurements were conducted on 20 subjects (10 in the Young group and 10 in the Older group) to assess the impact of aging.

Results: Bioelectrical impedance parameter values were higher in cases of back pain, and correlation analysis showed that there was a statistically significant difference between the Healthy and LBP groups (p < 0.05). A positive correlation was found between impedance parameters and pain related indices (ODI, RMDQ, VAS) (mean R, Z, PA: 0.68, 0.54, 0.75), with BMI positively correlating only with PA (0.493). Diagnostic accuracy for detecting back pain exceeded 95% (R, Z, PA: 0.984, 0.984, 0.963).

Conclusions: Results indicated that aging did not significantly affect impedance values. The bioelectrical impedance measurement device used in this study, with its simultaneous diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities, proved useful for real-time pain diagnosis and treatment monitoring, highlighting its potential clinical utility.

Keywords: bioelectrical impedance parameter; musculoskeletal pain; pain diagnosis; real time; treatment monitoring.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Bioelectrical impedance measurement principle: (a) low frequency resistance measurement; (b) LPM measurement with probe and electrode.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Bioelectrical impedance measurement method and equipment: (a) probe and electrode attachment sites; (b) probe and electrode; (c) bioelectrical impedance measurement device.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Human body model for calculating capacitance in bioelectrical impedance: (a) Cylindrical human body model used for bioelectrical impedance analysis; (b) circuit model of electrical/skin contact, epidermal and subcutaneous impedance.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Differences in BIP by age group: (a) resistance; (b) impedance; (c) phase angle.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Differences in BIP between Healthy and LBP groups based on the presence or absence of LBP: (a) resistance; (b) impedance; (c) phase angle.
Figure 6
Figure 6
ROC curve for pain diagnostic ability: (a) resistance; (b) impedance; (c) phase angle.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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