title: Altered cytokine levels in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid of chronic pain patients.
abstract: This study replicates and extends prior reports of abnormal cytokine levels in chronic pain patients and has correlated the alterations with pain severity. In addition, there appeared to be a need to directly assess cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) because previous findings on cytokine concentrations in peripheral circulation have been inconsistent. CSF and blood specimens were obtained from 14 patients with distal painful non-diabetic polyneuropathy (DPPN) or post-traumatic neuralgia (PTN). Elevated receptor levels for Tumor Necrosis Factor (sTNFr) were the most distinctive abnormality along with low interleukin-10 (IL-10). sTNFr in CSF and blood, and IL-1ss in CSF, were positively associated with pain intensity, whereas IL-10 in both compartments was inversely correlated with pain symptoms. An imbalance of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines appears to be a clinically relevant feature, which may contribute to the maintenance of chronic pain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Clinical Science Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison 53792, United States. baconja@neurology.wisc.edu
authors.forename: Miroslav Misha
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Backonja
authors.forename: Christopher L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Coe
authors.forename: Daniel A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Muller
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schell
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001786:Blood Glucose; D002908:Chronic Disease; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D005260:Female; D005947:Glucose / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000097:blood* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D010147:Pain Measurement
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D016207:Cytokines; D005947:Glucose