Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41959757›Full record

ArticlemedRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences2026

Multidimensional analysis of the clinical spectrum and symptom burden of unexplained myofascial pain.

Siddhartha Sikdar, Secili DeStefano, María José Guzmán Pavón, Yu-Lin Hsu, Seiyon Lee, John Srbely, Jay Shah, William Rosenberger, Samuel Acuña, Yonathan Assefa and 3 more

Abstract readPreprint
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Siddhartha SikdarDepartment of Bioengineering, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-6426-2320
Secili DeStefanoCenter for Advancing Systems Science and Bioengineering Innovation, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA.
María José Guzmán PavónFacultad de Fisioterapia y Enfermería, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Toledo, Spain.
Yu-Lin HsuDepartment of Statistics, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA.
Seiyon LeeCenter for Advancing Systems Science and Bioengineering Innovation, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA.
John SrbelyDepartment of Health and Nutritional Science, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
Jay ShahRehabilitation Medicine Department, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
William RosenbergerCenter for Advancing Systems Science and Bioengineering Innovation, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA.
Samuel AcuñaDepartment of Bioengineering, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA.
Yonathan AssefaRehabilitation Medicine Department, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
Matin Jahani JirsaraeiDepartment of Civil Engineering, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA.
Antonio SteccoDepartment of Rehabilitation Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NY, USA.
Lynn H GerberCenter for Advancing Systems Science and Bioengineering Innovation, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA.

Funding

Multimodal imaging biomarkers for investigating fascia, muscle and vasculature in myofascial pain.R61AT012286 · NCCIH · GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY · PI SIKDAR, SIDDHARTHA · 2022 to 2022
$1.5M
NCCIH NIH HHS R61 AT012286
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Objective: Myofascial pain (MP) is a leading cause of disability globally. Pain quality and severity vary widely for people with MP, making it difficult to accurately assess the spectrum of symptoms and develop appropriate treatments. We assessed potential contributors to variability in the clinical spectrum of unexplained neck/shoulder pain and associated myofascial component(s). Design: Prospective cross-sectional study of adults reporting neck/shoulder pain and pain-free individuals. Outcomes Measures: Pain intensity and interference (PEG); Symptom burden measured using patient-reported outcomes and objective measures: pain catastrophizing (PCS); PROMIS physical function (PF); sleep disturbance; anxiety (GAD-2); depression (PHQ-2); hypermobility (Beighton/Brighton); Objective measures in the medial upper trapezius: pressure pain threshold (PPT) and quantitative sensory testing (QST). Results: Of the 96 adults recruited for the study, 82 had complete records (age 32.2 +/-13.1 years, 57% women). On physical exam, 23 were assessed to be in an Conclusions: The symptom burden explains the variability in the clinical spectrum of pain intensity and interference in unexplained neck/shoulder MP. Network analysis can further improve clinical risk stratification. These findings represent a step towards an eventual goal of developing multidisciplinary clinical guidance for managing the whole patient, rather than the current emphasis on regional pain contributors in MP.

Indexed as

AnxietyCentral SensitizationChronic Musculoskeletal PainDepressionHypermobility SyndromeMyofascial PainNetwork analysisPain CatastrophizingPhysical FunctionPressure Pain ThresholdSleep DisturbanceTemporal Summation

Identifiers

PMID41959757
PMCPMC13060435

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.