Table 2c: Characteristics of included studies investigating thermal Pain.

Study Study Participants [Sample size (M/F; age)] Classification of Obesity Noxious Stimuli Outcome Measure Data Obese
[Mean+SD]
Data Non-Obese
[Mean+SD]
Difference
P value
Authors’ Conclusion Methodological Quality Score (%)
Miscio et al. (2005) [34] 21 obese non-diabetic volunteers versus 20 non-obese healthy volunteers BMI
Obese >30kg/m2
A computerized quantitative device (Medoc Ltd; TSA II-2001) was used to test the thresholds for heat and cold-evoked pain (HP-CP) Cold Pain on index finger 12.8+10.2oC 20.5+5.1oC 0.004 Obese higher heat pain threshold and lower cold pain threshold than non-obese 72%
Heat Pain on index finger 46.4+3.6oC 42.6+3.6oC 0.002
Cold Pain on little finger 13.1+10.1oC 19.3+6.0oC 0.021
Heat Pain on little finger 46.2+3.9oC 43.3+3.5oC 0.016
Tashani et al. (2017) [30] 74 healthy participants (37 women) divided into 3 groups according to their BMI:
Normal=25
Overweight= 24
Obese= 25
BMI values were:
Obese=34.4+3.90kg/m2

Normal=22.1+2.04kg/m2
A computerized quantitative device (Medoc Ltd; TSA II-2001) was used to test the thresholds for heat-evoked pain threshold and tolerance Heat Pain Threshold at thenar eminence 42.29+3.4oC 42.75+3.5oC 0.26 No differences between groups 88%
Heat Pain Tolerance at thenar eminence 48.33+2.61oC 48.23+2.1oC 0.59
Heat Pain Threshold at the waist 41.38+3.07oC 41.39+3.07oC 0.9
Heat Pain Tolerance at the waist 46.71+1.77oC 47.35+1.6oC 0.18