title: A human model of small fiber neuropathy to study wound healing.
abstract: The aim of this study was to develop a human model of acute wound healing that isolated the effects of small fiber neuropathy on the healing process. Twenty-five healthy subjects had the transient receptor vanilloid 1 agonist capsaicin and placebo creams topically applied to contralateral areas on the skin of the thigh for 48 hours. Subjects had shallow (1.2 millimeter) and deep (>3 millimeter) punch skin biopsies from each thigh on days 1 and 14. Biopsy wound healing was monitored photographically until closure. Intra-epidermal and sweat-gland nerve fiber densities were measured for each biopsy. Shallow wounds in capsaicin-treated sites healed more slowly than in placebo treated skin with biopsies taken on day 1 (P<0.001) and day 14 (P<0.001). Deep biopsies in the capsaicin and placebo areas healed at similar rates at both time points. Nerve fiber densities were reduced only in capsaicin treated regions (P<0.01). In conclusion, topical application of capsaicin causes a small fiber neuropathy and is associated with a delay in healing of shallow, but not deep wounds. This novel human model may prove valuable in the study of wound healing in patients with neuropathy.
authors: Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors: Ben M W
authors: BM
authors: Illigens
authors: Christopher H
authors: CH
authors: Gibbons
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D002211:Capsaicin / Q000494:pharmacology; D004817:Epidermis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology; D014945:Wound Healing; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002211:Capsaicin
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