New CeprLab study tests how reliably clinicians can identify nociplastic pain

When does long‑lasting pain stop being a symptom of tissue damage and become a problem of the nervous system itself? A CeprLab study, published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine in 2025, looked at how well clinicians can answer that question using new international criteria.

What the study did

In 2021 the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) introduced clinical criteria to identify nociplastic pain — pain that arises from altered pain processing rather than ongoing tissue damage. The CeprLab team tested those criteria using 32 clinical vignettes reviewed independently by two expert physiotherapists, measuring how consistently and accurately they could apply them.

What it found

The criteria showed strong specificity (89%) and moderate‑to‑high reliability, meaning they were good at correctly ruling nociplastic pain in and out. The authors conclude the criteria are a promising, usable tool for clinical practice, especially after clinicians gain familiarity with them.

For clinicians and students, that supports more consistent pain assessment; for patients, better classification is the first step toward the right treatment.

According to PubMed, the study was authored by Bilika P and colleagues, including Prof. Eleni Kapreli.