title: Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor reduced neuropathic pain associated with thoracic compression myelopathy: report of two cases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the safety and efficacy of neuroprotective therapy using granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) for patients with worsening symptoms of compression myelopathy. During this trial, we found that neuropathic pain associated  with thoracic myelopathy was dramatically reduced after G-CSF administration in two cases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A 32-year-old man with compression of the spinal cord at levels T7-T10 complained of spastic gait associated with spontaneous severe pain from his back to his chest.  G-CSF 10 µg/kg/day was administered for 5 consecutive days; his pain was reduced 1 day after the initial G-CSF administration. One month after administration, he underwent spinal fusion surgery for decompression of the spinal cord. Six months after G-CSF administration, he showed  recovery from myelopathy and no recurrence of pain. A 68-year-old man with spastic gait and bilateral thigh pain caused by ossified ligamentum flavum at T11-T12 was treated with G-CSF 10 µg/kg/day for 5 days; his pain was reduced 1 day after initial administration. One month  later, he underwent a T10-T12 laminectomy. Three months after G-CSF administration, his thigh pain began to attenuate. At 6 months after administration, he showed recovery from myelopathy, and his pain was still improved compared with that before administration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  G-CSF may have a therapeutic effect on spinal neuropathic pain.
authors: Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan. masashiy@faculty.chiba-u.jp
authors: Masashi
authors: M
authors: Yamazaki
authors: Tsuyoshi
authors: T
authors: Sakuma
authors: Kei
authors: K
authors: Kato
authors: Takeo
authors: T
authors: Furuya
authors: Masao
authors: M
authors: Koda
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017321:Clinical Trials, Phase I as Topic; D017322:Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic; D019299:Decompression, Surgical; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009437:Neuralgia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor