Normative data for Contact Heat Evoked Potentials (CHEPS) provided by a multicenter study

Nociceptive evoked potentials have been widely recommend for the diagnosis of neuropathic pain conditions and the evaluation of sensory pathways. This comprehensive set of reference data provides the necessary foundation for the implementation of CHEPS as a non-invasive and objective diagnostic method for a range of neurological and chronic pain conditions, including small fiber neuropathies.

Medoc’s PATHWAY Model CHEPS was used in this study.

This ambitious multicenter study is the result of the cooperation between leading researchers from Spain, Israel, Japan, Brazil, United States, and the United Kingdom. The valuable data was collected using Medoc’s Pathway model CHEPS and Nihon Kohden’s EMG/EP measuring system from 226 healthy individuals, males and females between in the ages 20 – 79 years, from multiple body sites including the lower and upper limbs, lower and upper back and face.

In addition to providing normal reference values for a wide range of age and gender specific groups, the study also demonstrates that there is no significant difference between the right and left sides in healthy individuals. This, in concordance with previously published data, strengthens the utility of CHEPS for the diagnosis of focal or unilateral sensory nerve damage.

Pathway Model CHEPS (Contact Heat-Evoked Potential Stimulator) is an advanced thermal stimulator for pain evoked-potentials capable of delivering fast and accurate heat, and is considered the most advanced and sophisticated device for pain assessment available today, providing exciting opportunities in the field of pain research.

For further reading :

Granovsky, Y., Anand, P., Nakae, A., Nascimento, O., Smith, B., Sprecher, E., & Valls-Solé, J. (2016). Normative data for Aδ contact heat evoked potentials in adult population: a multicenter study.Pain ,157(5), 1156-1163.