Screening of patients with complex regional pain syndrome for antecedent infections.
OBJECTIVE
This study was designed to investigate whether Complex Regional Pain Syndrome type I (CRPS I) could be linked to any previous infection.


METHODS
Fifty-two patients with CRPS I of one extremity were screened for the presence of antibodies against mostly neurotropic microorganisms.


RESULTS
Of these 52 patients, none had antibodies against Treponema pallidum, Borrelia burgdorferi, or HTLV-1. Only four patients were positive for Campylobacter jejuni. For cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, herpes simplex virus, and Toxoplasma gondii, seroprevalences were similar to control values. The total seroprevalence of Parvovirus B 19 in our CRPS population was 77%, which was significantly higher than in an independent Dutch population group (59%). Seroprevalence in lower extremity CRPS 1 (94%) was significantly higher than in upper extremity CRPS I patients (68%). In this study all patients were seropositive for varicella zoster virus (VZV) antibodies, but a high prevalence of VZV antibodies is similar to its prevalence in a normal population (>90%).


CONCLUSIONS
In this study we found a significantly higher seroprevalence of Parvovirus B19 in CRPS I and this is most striking in lower extremity CRPS I patients. Further serologic research in other geographic areas is needed to provide additional information about a potential role of Parvovirus B 19 or other microorganisms in the etiopathogenesis of CRPS I.
van de Vusse
A C
AC
Pain Management and Research Centre, University Hospital Maastricht, The Netherlands. vandevusse@doctor.com
Goossens
V J
VJ
Kemler
M A
MA
Weber
W E
WE
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016123:Campylobacter jejuni / Q000276:immunology; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000276:immunology; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016732:Parvovirus B19, Human / Q000276:immunology; D012019:Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012698:Serologic Tests; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000276:immunology; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology
D000906:Antibodies