The Rubber Hand Illusion (RHI) in Patients With CRPS

Ruhr University of Bochum

Status: Completed

Conditions: CRPS; Unilateral Limb Pain of Origin Other Than CRPS

Treatments: Procedure: rubber hand illusion

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01618578

RHI2010

Details and patient eligibility

About

The present study investigates by means of the rubber hand illusion body image stability and sense of body ownership in patients with CRPS of the upper limb compared to patients with unilateral pain of origin other than CRPS and age and sex-matched healthy subjects.

Full description

In patients with CRPS of the upper limb distortions of body representation and impairments of sense of body ownership are well-known. To investigate the body schema and body image stability of these patients in comparison to patients with upper limb pain of origin other than CRPS and healthy subjects, we conducted a series of rubber hand illusions. This well - established paradigm is elicited by visuo-tactile stimulation of one´s own real hand and a visible hand and forearm prosthesis. The present study investigates 1) if and how far patients with CRPS are susceptible to experience the illusion 2) how far the illusion strength differs between CRPS and patients with unilateral pain of the upper limb of other origin and healthy subjects 3) how far parameters, e.g. neglect-like severity symptoms, body plasticity, empathy, duration of disease and pain intensity influence the illusion strength.

Enrollment: 69 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

every participant:

• aged > 18 years
• written informed consent
• free to withdraw participation at any time
• adequate understanding of the german language

Patients with CRPS:

• patients with CRPS type 1 of the upper limb
• clinical symptoms were diagnosed on the basis of the recently modified diagnostic research criteria (Harden, Bruehl et al., 2007)
• proved by typical enhancement in the late phase of the 99m-technetium-triple-phase bone skeleton scintigraphy (Wüppenhorst, Maier et al., 2010)

Patients with unilateral pain of the upper limb:

• unilateral pain
• pain of origin other than CRPS

Healthy subjects:

• age and sex matched to patients with CRPS
• checked by the DFNS IMI questionnaire

Exclusion criteria

every participant:

• inadequate understanding of the german language
• missing informed consent
• diabetes mellitus

Patients with CRPS:

-CRPS Type 2

Trial design

69 participants in 3 patient groups

Patients with CRPS

Description:

24 patients with CRPS of the upper limb type 1 were included into the study.

Treatment:

Procedure: rubber hand illusion

Patients with unilateral upper limb pain

Description:

21 patients with unilateral upper limb pain served as controls.

Treatment:

Procedure: rubber hand illusion

healthy subjects

Description:

24 healthy subjects were age- and sex matched to patients with CRPS.

Treatment:

Procedure: rubber hand illusion