A systematic review of possible devices and techniques that can be used as an dolorimeter to follow patients’ pain more objectively Sjors H. Wagemakers, Joanne M. van der Velden, A. Sophie Gerlich and Joost J.C. Verhoeff Search Strategy Population Patients who indicated experiencing any kind of pain. Intervention Inclusion: All the devices and techniques that are used to induce a varying, controlled and measurable pain stimulus, with the aim that it can be used as a potential pain intensity instrument. Pain stimulation (#1) (#2) Quantification (#3) Pain* Stimulat* Dolorimet* Thermal* Stimuli* Algomet* Laser Stimulu* Algesimet* Electrical* Shock* Pain measure* Chemical* Perception* Pain assess* Mechanical* Evoke* Pain score* Nociceptor* Pain intensity measure* Nociceptiv* Pain intensity assess* Nociception Pain intensity score* Ache* Nociception test* Algesi* Measurement of pain Search terms Allodynia* Measurements of pain Assessment of pain Assessments of pain Pain threshold* Quantif* Pain Measurement [Mesh] Exclusion: Pain stimulating devices used as therapy and animal studies. Therapy (#4) Animal studies TENS Animals[Mesh] Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation Vagus Nerve Stimulat* Deep Brain Stimul* Search terms Search Control Established pain scales (#5) Correlation (#6) VAS Correlation* Visual analogue scale* Relation* Visual analog scale* Link* Visual analogue pain scale* Interaction* Visual analog pain scale* Relation* Analogue pain scale* Correspond* Analog pain scale* NPRS Numeric pain rating scale* NRS11 NRS Numeric rating scale* MPQ McGill Pain Questionnaire* ms FPSR Faces Pain Scale Revised DDS Descriptor Differential Scale Search ter Faces Pain Rating Scale* Pain Rating Scale* DPI Dolorimeter Pain Index BPI Brief Pain Inventory WRI Walid Robinson Pain Index VD/RS VDS VRS Verbal Descriptor Scale* Verbal Rater Scale* Algomet* Outcome Primary outcomes Validity Reproducibility Secondary outcomes Safety Feasibility PubMed (Pain*[Title/Abstract] OR Thermal*[Title/Abstract] OR Laser[Title/Abstract] OR Hits: #1.738.792 Electrical*[Title/Abstract] OR Chemical*[Title/Abstract] OR Mechanical*[Title/Abstract] OR Nociceptor*[Title/Abstract] OR Nociceptiv*[Title/Abstract] OR Nociception[Title/Abstract] OR Ache*[Title/Abstract] OR Algesi*[Title/Abstract] OR Allodynia*[Title/Abstract]) AND (Stimulat*[Title/Abstract] OR Stimuli*[Title/Abstract] OR Stimulu*[Title/Abstract] OR Hits: #1.590.490 Shock*[Title/Abstract] OR Perception*[Title/Abstract] OR Evoke*[Title/Abstract]) AND (Dolorimet*[Title/Abstract] OR Algomet*[Title/Abstract] OR Algesimet*[Title/Abstract] OR Pain Hits: #421.840 measure*[Title/Abstract] OR Pain assess*[Title/Abstract] OR Pain score*[Title/Abstract] OR Pain intensity measure*[Title/Abstract] OR Pain intensity assess*[Title/Abstract] OR Pain intensity score*[Title/Abstract] OR Nociception test*[Title/Abstract] OR Measurement of pain[Title/Abstract] OR Measurements of pain[Title/Abstract] OR Assessment of pain[Title/Abstract] OR Assessments of pain[Title/Abstract] OR Pain threshold*[Title/Abstract] OR Quantif*[Title/Abstract] OR Pain Measurement[Mesh]) AND (VAS[Title/Abstract] OR Visual analogue scale*[Title/Abstract] OR Visual analog Hits: #71.621 scale*[Title/Abstract] OR Visual analogue pain scale*[Title/Abstract] OR Visual analog pain scale*[Title/Abstract] OR Analogue pain scale*[Title/Abstract] OR Analog pain scale*[Title/Abstract] OR NPRS[Title/Abstract] OR Numeric pain rating scale*[Title/Abstract] OR NRS11[Title/Abstract] OR NRS[Title/Abstract] OR Numeric rating scale*[Title/Abstract] OR MPQ[Title/Abstract] OR McGill Pain Questionnaire*[Title/Abstract] OR FPSR[Title/Abstract] OR Faces Pain Scale Revised[Title/Abstract] OR DDS[Title/Abstract] OR Descriptor Differential Scale[Title/Abstract] OR Faces Pain Rating Scale*[Title/Abstract] OR Pain Rating Scale*[Title/Abstract] OR DPI[Title/Abstract] OR Dolorimeter Pain Index[Title/Abstract] OR BPI[Title/Abstract] OR Brief Pain Inventory[Title/Abstract] OR WRI[Title/Abstract] OR Walid Robinson Pain Index[Title/Abstract] OR VD/RS[Title/Abstract] OR VDS[Title/Abstract] OR VRS[Title/Abstract] OR Verbal Descriptor Scale*[Title/Abstract] OR Verbal Rater Scale*[Title/Abstract] OR Algomet*[Title/Abstract]) AND (Correlation*[Title/Abstract] OR Relation*[Title/Abstract] OR Link*[Title/Abstract] OR Hits: #3.956.985 Interaction*[Title/Abstract] OR Relation*[Title/Abstract] OR Correspond*[Title/Abstract]) NOT(TENS[Title/Abstract] OR Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation[Title/Abstract] OR Vagus Nerve Stimulat*[Title/Abstract] OR Deep Brain Stimul*[Title/Abstract]) NOT(“Animals”[Mesh] NOT (“Animals”[Mesh] AND “Humans”[Mesh)) Total hits: #662 EMBASE (Pain*:ti,ab OR Thermal*:ti,ab OR Laser:ti,ab OR Electrical*:ti,ab OR Chemical*:ti,ab OR Hits: #2.209.005 Mechanical*:ti,ab OR Nociceptor*:ti,ab OR Nociceptiv*:ti,ab OR Nociception:ti,ab OR Ache*:ti,ab OR Algesi*:ti,ab OR Allodynia*:ti,ab) AND (Stimulat*:ti,ab OR Stimuli*:ti,ab OR Stimulu*:ti,ab OR Shock*:ti,ab OR Perception*:ti,ab OR Hits: #1.871.215 Evoke*:ti,ab) AND (Dolorimet*:ti,ab OR Algomet*:ti,ab OR Algesimet*:ti,ab OR 'Pain measure*':ti,ab OR 'Pain Hits: #482.996 assess*':ti,ab OR 'Pain score*':ti,ab OR 'Pain intensity measure*':ti,ab OR 'Pain intensity assess*':ti,ab OR 'Pain intensity score*':ti,ab OR 'Nociception test*':ti,ab OR 'Measurement of pain':ti,ab OR 'Measurements of pain':ti,ab OR 'Assessment of pain':ti,ab OR 'Assessments of pain':ti,ab OR 'Pain threshold*':ti,ab OR Quantif*:ti,ab OR 'Pain measurement'/exp) AND (VAS:ti,ab OR 'Visual analogue scale*':ti,ab OR 'Visual analog scale*':ti,ab OR 'Visual analogue Hits: #101.754 pain scale*':ti,ab OR 'Visual analog pain scale*':ti,ab OR 'Analogue pain scale*':ti,ab OR 'Analog pain scale*':ti,ab OR NPRS:ti,ab OR 'Numeric pain rating scale*':ti,ab OR NRS11:ti,ab OR NRS:ti,ab OR 'Numeric rating scale*':ti,ab OR MPQ:ti,ab OR 'McGill Pain Questionnaire*':ti,ab OR FPSR:ti,ab OR 'Faces Pain Scale Revised':ti,ab OR DDS:ti,ab OR 'Descriptor Differential Scale':ti,ab OR 'Faces Pain Rating Scale*':ti,ab OR 'Pain Rating Scale*':ti,ab OR DPI:ti,ab OR 'Dolorimeter Pain Index':ti,ab OR BPI:ti,ab OR 'Brief Pain Inventory':ti,ab OR WRI:ti,ab OR 'Walid Robinson Pain Index':ti,ab OR ‘VD/RS’:ti,ab OR VDS:ti,ab OR VRS:ti,ab OR 'Verbal Descriptor Scale*':ti,ab OR 'Verbal Rater Scale*':ti,ab OR Algomet*:ti,ab) AND (Correlation*:ti,ab OR Relation*:ti,ab OR Link*:ti,ab OR Interaction*:ti,ab OR Relation*:ti,ab Hits: #4.625.657 OR Correspond*:ti,ab) NOT TENS:ti,ab NOT 'Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation':ti,ab NOT 'Vagus Nerve Stimulat*':ti,ab NOT 'Deep Brain Stimul*':ti,ab NOT ([animals]/lim NOT [humans]/lim) AND [embase]/lim NOT [medline]/lim Total hits: #337 Cochrane Library (Pain*:ti,ab OR Thermal*:ti,ab OR Laser:ti,ab OR Electrical*:ti,ab OR Chemical*:ti,ab OR Hits: #103.275 Mechanical*:ti,ab OR Nociceptor*:ti,ab OR Nociceptiv*:ti,ab OR Nociception:ti,ab OR Ache*:ti,ab OR Algesi*:ti,ab OR Allodynia*:ti,ab) AND (Stimulat*:ti,ab OR Stimuli*:ti,ab OR Stimulu*:ti,ab OR Shock*:ti,ab OR Perception*:ti,ab OR Hits: #59.858 Evoke*:ti,ab) AND (Dolorimet*:ti,ab OR Algomet*:ti,ab OR Algesimet*:ti,ab OR “Pain measure*”:ti,ab OR “Pain Hits: #41.112 assess*”:ti,ab OR “Pain score*”:ti,ab OR “Pain intensity measure*”:ti,ab OR “Pain intensity assess*”:ti,ab OR “Pain intensity score*”:ti,ab OR “Nociception test*”:ti,ab OR “Measurement of pain”:ti,ab OR “Measurements of pain”:ti,ab OR “Assessment of pain”:ti,ab OR “Assessments of pain”:ti,ab OR “Pain threshold*”:ti,ab OR Quantif*:ti,ab OR Pain Measurement) AND (VAS:ti,ab OR “Visual analogue scale*”:ti,ab OR “Visual analog scale*”:ti,ab OR “Visual Hits: #26.001 analogue pain scale*”:ti,ab OR “Visual analog pain scale*”:ti,ab OR “Analogue pain scale*”:ti,ab OR “Analog pain scale*”:ti,ab OR NPRS:ti,ab OR “Numeric pain rating scale*”:ti,ab OR NRS11:ti,ab OR NRS:ti,ab OR “Numeric rating scale*”:ti,ab OR MPQ:ti,ab OR “McGill Pain Questionnaire*”:ti,ab OR FPSR:ti,ab OR “Faces Pain Scale Revised”:ti,ab OR DDS:ti,ab OR “Descriptor Differential Scale”:ti,ab OR “Faces Pain Rating Scale*”:ti,ab OR “Pain Rating Scale*”:ti,ab OR DPI:ti,ab OR “Dolorimeter Pain Index”:ti,ab OR BPI:ti,ab OR “Brief Pain Inventory”:ti,ab OR WRI:ti,ab OR “Walid Robinson Pain Index”:ti,ab OR “VD/RS”:ti,ab OR VDS:ti,ab OR VRS:ti,ab OR “Verbal Descriptor Scale*”:ti,ab OR “Verbal Rater Scale*”:ti,ab OR Algomet*:ti,ab) AND (Correlation*:ti,ab OR Relation*:ti,ab OR Link*:ti,ab OR Interaction*:ti,ab OR Relation*:ti,ab Hits: #107.055 OR Correspond*:ti,ab) NOT TENS:ti,ab NOT “Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation”:ti,ab NOT “Vagus Nerve Stimulat*”:ti,ab NOT “Deep Brain Stimul*”:ti,ab Total hits: #204 Scopus TITLE-ABS(Pain* OR Thermal* OR Laser OR Electrical* OR Chemical* OR Mechanical* OR Hits: # Nociceptor* OR Nociceptiv* OR Nociception OR Ache* OR Algesi* OR Allodynia*) AND TITLE-ABS(Stimulat* OR Stimuli* OR Stimulu* OR Shock* OR Perception* OR Evoke*) Hits: # AND TITLE-ABS (Dolorimet* OR Algomet* OR Algesimet* OR “Pain measure*” OR “Pain assess*” OR Hits: # “Pain score*” OR “Pain intensity measure*” OR “Pain intensity assess*” OR “Pain intensity score*” OR “Nociception test*” OR “Measurement of pain” OR “Measurements of pain” OR “Assessment of pain” OR “Assessments of pain” OR “Pain threshold*” OR Quantif* OR Pain Measurement) AND TITLE-ABS (VAS OR “Visual analogue scale*” OR “Visual analog scale*” OR “Visual analogue Hits: # pain scale*” OR “Visual analog pain scale*” OR “Analogue pain scale*” OR “Analog pain scale*” OR NPRS OR “Numeric pain rating scale*” OR NRS11 OR NRS OR “Numeric rating scale*” OR MPQ OR “McGill Pain Questionnaire*” OR FPSR OR “Faces Pain Scale Revised” OR DDS OR “Descriptor Differential Scale” OR “Faces Pain Rating Scale*” OR “Pain Rating Scale*” OR DPI OR “Dolorimeter Pain Index” OR BPI OR “Brief Pain Inventory” OR WRI OR “Walid Robinson Pain Index” OR “VD/RS” OR VDS OR VRS OR “Verbal Descriptor Scale*” OR “Verbal Rater Scale*” OR Algomet*) AND TITLE-ABS (Correlation* OR Relation* OR Link* OR Interaction* OR Relation* OR Correspond*) Hits: # NOT TITLE-ABS(TENS OR “Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation” OR “Vagus Nerve Stimulat*” OR “Deep Brain Stimul*”) Total hits: #98 Total studies retrieved: 662+337+204+98 = #1301 .