title: Neuropeptide converting enzyme activities in CSF of low back pain patients.
abstract: The activity levels of a dynorphin converting enzyme (DCE), a substance P endopeptidase (SPE) and a substance P alpha-amidating enzyme (SP-GLYE) were measured in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 90 patients with chronic low back pain, sciatica and neurological signs of rhizopathy. The DCE activity was significantly higher in men than in women. Age was related to the DCE activity independent of sex, i.e., older patients had higher enzyme activity. The activities of two substance P converting enzymes were not related to sex or age. Self-reported pain experience and affective covariates (anxiety, depression, hostility, somatization) of pain, and myelography data were not found to be related to the enzyme activity levels once adjustment had been made for sex and age. The activity levels of the enzymes measured here had no predictive value for the long-term outcome of rehabilitation and therapy at the 5-year follow-up of the patients. The sex difference in DCE activity provides further evidence in favor of the role of gender in the psychoendocrine coping with pain distress.
authors: Rehabilitation Research Centre of the Social Insurance Institution, Turku Finland Turku City Hospital, Surgical Department, Turku Finland Department of Pharmacology, University of Uppsala, Uppsala Sweden.
authors: Markku T
authors: MT
authors: Hyyppä
authors: Hannu
authors: H
authors: Alaranta
authors: Kari
authors: K
authors: Lahtela
authors: Finn
authors: F
authors: Nykvist
authors: Matti
authors: M
authors: Hurme
authors: Fred
authors: F
authors: Nyberg
authors: Pierre
authors: P
authors: Le Grevés
authors: Tsukasa
authors: T
authors: Sakurada
authors: Lars
authors: L
authors: Terenius
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001416:Back Pain / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D006801:Humans; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D008875:Middle Aged; D006899:Mixed Function Oxygenases / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D009097:Multienzyme Complexes; D006899:Mixed Function Oxygenases; C035189:peptidylglycine monooxygenase; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases; C063078:dynorphin converting enzyme; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases; C029610:substance P degrading enzyme