title: Effect of combined nicotine and shrapnel exposure on pain measures and gait after nerve injury.
abstract: A significant fraction of military soldiers sustain nerve injury and use tobacco or nicotine containing products. Healing of nerve injuries is influenced by many factors, such as degree of original injury, healing potential of the nerve, and general health of patient. However, recently, it has been demonstrated that the presence of retained insoluble metal fragments decreases healing. The effects of systemic nicotine administration, with or without metal fragments at the site of nerve injury, were evaluated. Both the nicotine-administered groups (nicotine, nicotine + shrapnel) showed significant increase in the peroneal function compared with untreated controls, as assessed by paw area (p < 0.05). Furthermore, to test possible role of altered sensory function, we used the hot plate assay. Latency to withdraw paw from a hot plate was significantly shorter in nicotine groups (p < 0.05). These data indicate that nicotine improves sensory and motor aspects of nerve function, in the presence or absence of shrapnel.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Dwight David Eisenhower Army Medical Center, Fort Gordon, GA 30905, USA.
authors.forename: Bradley
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rittenhouse
authors.forename: Crystal D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Hill-Pryor
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McConathy
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.forename: Nelson
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.forename: Esra
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Toussaint
authors.forename: Darrell
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Barker
authors.forename: Balakrishna
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Prasad
authors.forename: Jose M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Pizarro
mesh_terms: D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001753:Blast Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005684:Gait; D055103:Hypodermoclysis; D008297:Male; D009538:Nicotine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D058748:Pain Perception / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D059348:Peripheral Nerve Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012677:Sensation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; D009538:Nicotine