A Comprehensive Review of the Clinical Utility and Reliability of a Quantitative Electrical Stimulation Device for Objective Pain Assessment

Karin Kato Department of Patient Safety, Kyoto University Hospital, Kyoto City, JapanCorrespondence: Karin Kato, Department of Patient Safety, Kyoto University Hospital, 54 Shogoin-kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto City, Japan, Tel +081-75-751-3437, Fax +081-75-752-3259, Email [email protected]: Objective pain measurement remains challenging due to pain’s subjective nature. This review evaluates the clinical utility, measurement protocols, reliability, and limitations of a quantitative electrical stimulation device used for objective pain perception threshold assessment.Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in November 2025 using Web of Science and PubMed databases without date restrictions. Studies involving human subjects that employed the device for quantitative pain perception threshold measurement were included. Data on study design, patient populations, measurement protocols, clinical applications, reliability, and validity were extracted and synthesized.Results: Eleven studies met inclusion criteria, encompassing healthy volunteers and patients with neuropathic pain, chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, chronic pain, and genetic pain sensitivity disorders. The device quantified current perception threshold (CPT) and pain equivalent current (PEC) via controlled electrical stimulation, with electrode placement typically on the forearm, upper arm, fingertips, or ulnar flexion. Measurements demonstrated reproducibility and positive correlations with subjective pain scales such as the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Variability in protocols, sensitivity to patient movement, and limited assessment of slow C-fiber mediated pain were commonly reported challenges.Conclusion: The electrical pain assessment device is a promising objective tool for pain and sensory function assessment that complements subjective measures. Future research should focus on large-scale validation, standardization of protocols, and integration with other physiological markers to enhance clinical applicability and precision in pain management.Plain Language Summary: This review focuses on a device called Pain Vision®, which measures how sensitive a person is to electrical stimulation, helping to assess pain and sensory function more objectively than traditional methods. Pain is difficult to measure because it is subjective and can vary widely among individuals. Accurate pain assessment is important for diagnosing conditions, monitoring treatments, and making decisions about medication.The researcher examined 11 recent clinical studies that used the electrical pain assessment device in different groups, including healthy people and patients with conditions like neuropathic pain, chemotherapy-induced nerve damage, and postoperative pain. The device was found to provide reliable and reproducible measurements, offering clear advantages over subjective pain scales by giving precise, numerical data on pain levels.However, challenges remain, such as small study sizes, differences in how the device is used across studies, and its sensitivity to patient movement. The device cannot fully measure all types of pain, especially pain carried by certain nerve fibers. Still, combining this objective tool with traditional pain assessments can improve overall accuracy.Using the electrical pain assessment device can help doctors better understand and manage pain, leading to safer use of pain medications. This is important because some pain treatments, like opioids and anti-inflammatory drugs, can cause serious side effects if not used carefully. Objective pain measurement supports safer prescribing and helps avoid under- or over-treatment.In summary, the electrical pain assessment device represents a promising step toward more precise and objective pain assessment. Its use could improve patient care, support personalized treatment, and reduce risks associated with pain medication. Further research and standardization will help maximize its clinical benefits.Keywords: the electrical pain assessment device, perception threshold, pain assessment, neuropathy, treatment monitoring, quantitative sensory testing