Background and aims: 
Allodynia is an expression of peripheral and/or central sensitization. Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) is a persistent pain condition including sensory, motor, trophic and autonomic abnormalities. According to the somatosensory rehabilitation method, allodynia is quantified by allodynography and rainbow pain scale. Allodynography is a mapping technique where its territory is recorded on paper while the rainbow pain scale is rating the severity of the allodynia. To permit a comparison between patients we integrate the Lund and Browder Chart,
used in burns for estimating the body surface area affected. This method assesses the allodynography area as a percentage of the affected limb.

Methods:
25 patients with CRPS, for at least 6 months were recruited. CRPS was diagnosed according to the Budapest Criteria. Allodynia area of all the patients was assessed using the standard allodynography method and quantified with our method. Interrater reliability was evaluated in 4
patients. Furthermore, the allodynia area was tested for correlations with CRPS Severity Score (CSS), pain intensity using the short form McGill pain questionnaire (SFMPQ) and upper and lower limb functional scores.
Results: Positive significance correlations (Pearson test) were found between the allodynia area and CSS (r=.546, p=.006), days in disease (r=.402, p=0.46), SFMPQ(r=.627, p=.001), and functional scales (r=.640, p=.006). The method was also found reliable between different clinicians (Cronbach's Alpha=.958).

Conclusions:
This new allodynography quantification method may serve as a inter- and intra-subject variability index for assessment of disease severity and long-term changes along the treatment process.

Source of Financial Support:
The research was supported by a research grant from Reuth Research and Development Institute, Tel Aviv, Israel.

A NEW ALLODYNOGRAPHY QUANTIFICATION METHOD FOR SOMATOSENSORY REHABILITATION IN COMPLEX REGIONAL PAIN SYNDROME