title: Intravenous administration of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor for treating neuropathic pain associated with compression myelopathy: a phase I and IIa clinical trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To confirm the feasibility and safety of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) for treating spinal neuropathic pain associated with compression myelopathy, we have initiated an open-label single-center prospective clinical trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between January 2009 and February 2011, 17 patients were accrued and were divided into two groups. One group included 7 patients who complained of pain associated with worsening symptoms of myelopathy (progressing myelopathy-related pain group). The other group included 10 patients who complained of pain that persisted after surgery for compression myelopathy (post-operative persistent pain group). All patients underwent intravenous administration of G-CSF (10 μg/kg/day) for 5 consecutive days. Pain severity was evaluated using a visual analog scale (VAS) before and after G-CSF administration.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 14 of the 17 patients, pain was relieved within several days after G-CSF administration. Pain disappeared completely in 3 patients. In the progressing myelopathy-related pain group, the mean VAS score was 71.4/100 before G-CSF administration, and decreased to 35.9/100 at 1 week after G-CSF administration (p < 0.05). In the post-operative persistent pain group, the mean VAS score was 72.0/100 before G-CSF administration, and decreased to 51.7/100 at 1 week after G-CSF administration (p < 0.05). No severe adverse events occurred during or after G-CSF administration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present results provide us with the possibility that G-CSF has a pain-relieving effect for neuropathic pain in patients with compression myelopathy.
authors.affiliation: Spine Section, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8670, Japan.
authors.forename: Kei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamazaki
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Okawa
authors.forename: Takeo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Furuya
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sakuma
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Koshiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kamiya
authors.forename: Taigo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Inada
authors.forename: Kazuhisa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Masao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koda
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009437:Neuralgia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D010147:Pain Measurement; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor