title: Neuroimmune alterations in the complex regional pain syndrome.
abstract: This review focuses on some clinical aspects of the complex regional pain syndrome, such as oedema, local temperature changes and chronic pain, as a result of supposed neurogenic inflammation. Involvement of the immune system could imply the subsequent release of neuropeptides, pro-inflammatory cytokines and eicosanoids, which in turn leads to a complex cross-talk of primary and secondary generated mediators of inflammation. The development and application of drugs that act through selective receptor antagonism or enzymatic synthesis inhibition to prevent further stimulation of this cascade that could inevitably lead to chronicity of this disease are extensively discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, Erasmus University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Dijkzigt Hospital, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Huygen
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: de Bruijn
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Zijlstra
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D015213:Neuroimmunomodulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D012019:Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology*