The use of a battery of pain models to detect analgesic properties of compounds: a two‐part four‐way crossover study

AIM: The aim was to investigate the ability of a battery of pain models to detect analgesic properties of commonly used analgesics in healthy subjects. Pain measurements were performed at baseline and up to 10 h post-dose. Endpoints were analysed using a mixed model analysis of variance. RESULTS: Sixteen subjects (8 female) completed each part. The pain tolerance threshold (PTT) for electrical stimulation was increased (all P < 0.05) compared to placebo for (S)-ketamine (+10.1%), phenytoin (+8.5%) and pregabalin (+10.8%). The PTT for mechanical pain was increased by pregabalin (+14.1%). The cold pressor PTT was increased by fentanyl (+17.1%) and pregabalin (+46.4%). Normal skin heat pain detection threshold was increased by (S)-ketamine (+3.3%), fentanyl (+2.8%) and pregabalin (+4.1%). UVB treated skin pain detection threshold was increased by fentanyl (+2.6%) and ibuprofen (+4.0%). No differences in conditioned pain modulation were observed. CONCLUSION: This study shows that these pain models are able to detect changes in pain thresholds after administration of different classes of analgesics in healthy subjects. The analgesic compounds all showed a unique profile in their effects on the pain tasks administered.