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. 2008:2008:469439.
doi: 10.1155/2008/469439.

Six years follow-up of the levels of TNF-alpha and IL-6 in patients with complex regional pain syndrome type 1

Feikje Wesseldijk  1 , Frank J P M Huygen, Claudia Heijmans-Antonissen, Sjoerd P Niehof, Freek J Zijlstra
Affiliations

Six years follow-up of the levels of TNF-alpha and IL-6 in patients with complex regional pain syndrome type 1

Feikje Wesseldijk et al. Mediators Inflamm. 2008.

Abstract

In an earlier study, levels of the proinflammatory cytokines TNF-alpha and IL-6 are higher in blisters fluid from the complex regional pain syndrome type 1 (CRPS1) side obtained at 6 and 30 months (median) after the initial event. The aim of this follow-up study is to determine the involvement of these cytokines in long lasting CRPS1. Twelve CRPS1 patients, with median disease duration of 72 months, participated. The levels of TNF-alpha and IL-6 were measured in blister fluid; disease activity was reevaluated by measuring pain and differences in temperature, volume, and mobility between both extremities. Differences in levels of IL-6 and TNF-alpha and mobility between both sides were significantly decreased. Pain and differences in temperature and volume were not significantly altered. No correlation was found between the cytokines and the disease characteristics. These results indicate that IL-6 and TNF-alpha are only partially responsible for the signs and symptoms of CRPS1.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Differences in levels of IL-6 and in TNF-α in blister fluid between the CRPS1 and contralateral extremities over the course of CRPS1. Blister fluid was collected as described in materials and methods (see Section 2) and IL-6 (panel a) and TNF-α (panel b) levels (pg/mL) in the CRPS1 and the contralateral limbs were measured by ELISA. The data obtained from the same 12 patients at each time period are expressed as the difference in IL-6 or TNF-α levels between the two sides (log pg/mL). Each time point shows the mean ± the standard deviation. The P values represent the deviation from no difference (0).
Figure 2
Figure 2
The assessment of pain over the course of CRPS1 disease as measured by the Visual Analogue Scale is shown in panel (a). Panel (b) shows the assessment of pain as measured by the McGill Pain Questionnaire. Panel (c), (d), and (e), respectively, show the absolute differences in skin surface temperature, the absolute differences in volume, and the differences in AROM between the CRPS1 and contralateral sides in CRPS1 patients over the course of disease. The data obtained from the same 12 patients at the 3 points of measurement were collected as described in materials and methods and are expressed as the mean ± standard deviation. The P values represent the deviation from no difference (0)
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