Pain practice : the official journal of World Institute of Pain
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Report of a Preliminary Discontinued Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial of the Anti-TNF-α Chimeric Monoclonal Antibody Infliximab in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome.
Inflammation appears to play a role in CRPS as, for example, cytokines (like TNF-α) are involved in the affected limb. The ongoing inflammation is probably responsible for the central sensitization that sometimes occurs in CRPS. Thus, early start of a TNF-α antagonist may counteract inflammation, thereby preventing rest damage and leading to recovery of the disease. ⋯ This study was terminated before the required number of participants had been reached for sufficient statistical power. Nevertheless, a trend was found toward an effect of infliximab on the initially high TNF-α concentration.