title: Sympathetically maintained pain.
abstract: Reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD) is a controversial condition, redefined in 1996 by an ad hoc International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) task force. One of the strongest critiques against the entire concept of sympathetic-dependent pain is that patients labeled as having RSD harbor in reality a somatoform disorder. Here clinical cases are described to prove that other organic medical conditions may exist other than RSD and still present the clinical picture of pain, sensory, and vasomotor disorders and trophic changes. The analysis of each patient illustrates how the inappropriate diagnosis of RSD may lead to increased worsening of pain intensity, or delay the proper diagnosis, and consequently the appropriate treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Scientific Institute, H San Raffaele, via Prinetti 29, Milan 20129, Italy. marchettini.paolo@hsr.it
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Marchettini
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lacerenza
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Formaglio
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006145:Guanethidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D059408:Pain Management; D012019:Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy / Q000523:psychology*; D013562:Sympathectomy; D013565:Sympatholytics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D013565:Sympatholytics; D006145:Guanethidine