Elevated plasma vasopressin and normal cerebrospinal fluid angiotensin-converting enzyme in chronic pain disorder.
The study was performed proceeding from the hypothesis that pain proneness in chronic pain disorder (CPD) is a result of alterations in central mechanisms regulating pain sensations. To elucidate the function of the central renin-angiotensin system, the levels of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and arginine vasopressin (AVP) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and peripheral blood were measured in 15 CPD patients and 19 healthy controls. Plasma AVP levels (p = .01) as well as the serum osmolality (p = .01) were significantly higher in the CPD group. No significant differences in CSF ACE levels were found. AVP is a stress-related peptide, but central antinociceptive effects have also been reported. Elevated plasma AVP levels possibly may constitute a response to chronic stress.
Department of Psychiatry, University of Helsinki, Finland.
K
K
Wahlbeck
M
M
Sundblom
E
E
Kalso
I
I
Tigerstedt
R
R
Rimón
D001127:Arginine Vasopressin / Q000097:blood*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000201:enzymology; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*
D001127:Arginine Vasopressin; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A