Articles: neuralgia.
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Peripheral neuroinflammation caused by activated immune cells can provoke neuropathic pain. Herein, we investigate the actions of macrophages and T cells through glucocorticoid-induced tumor neurosis factor receptor ligand (GITRL) and its receptor (GITR) in neuropathic pain. After partial sciatic nerve ligation (PSL) in enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) chimeric mice generated by the transplantation of eGFP(+) bone marrow cells, eGFP(+) macrophages, and T cells markedly migrated to the injured site after PSL. ⋯ Additionally, the induction of inflammatory cytokines and the accumulation of GITR(+) T cells in the injured SCN were abrogated after macrophage depletion by Clophosome-A(TM). In conclusion, GITRL expressed on macrophages drives cytokine release and T cell activation, resulting in neuropathic pain via GITR-dependent actions. The GITRL-GITR pathway might represent a novel target for the treatment of neuropathic pain.
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Treatment of occipital neuralgia (ON) can be complex, though many treatment options exist. Cryoablation (CA) is an interventional modality that has been used successfully in chronic neuropathic conditions and is one such option. ⋯ Cryoablation, cryoanalgesia, occipital neuralgia, treatment, adverse effects.
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Neuropathic pain (NP) is common in the adult population but is difficult to study in electronic health record (EHR) databases because it is a symptom rather than a pathologic diagnosis. The first step in studying NP in EHR databases is to develop methods for identifying patients with NP. The objectives of this study were to develop estimates of the prevalence of NP among patients in a primary care EHR database and describe these patients' demographic characteristics and health-care utilization. ⋯ This study represents a step towards being able to utilize EHR databases to study NP by proposing methods to identify patients with certain and probable NP in a primary care EHR database. Validation against a gold standard is the next step.
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Int. J. Infect. Dis. · May 2015
Predictors of postherpetic neuralgia in patients with herpes zoster: a pooled analysis of prospective cohort studies from North and Latin America and Asia.
The most common complication of herpes zoster (HZ) is postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), a persistent pain that can substantially affect quality of life (QoL). This analysis aimed to evaluate predictors of PHN in HZ patients. ⋯ In addition to older age and severe acute pain, this study suggests that impaired physical and social functioning from acute zoster pain may play a role in the development of PHN in this prospective cohort study of HZ patients from North and Latin America and Asia.
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Brain research bulletin · May 2015
CB1 receptors modulate affective behaviour induced by neuropathic pain.
Patients suffering from chronic pain are often diagnosed with a psychiatric condition, in particular generalized anxiety and major depression. The underlying pathomechanisms contributing to this comorbidity, however, are not entirely clear. In this manuscript we have focussed on the potential role of the cannabinoid receptor CB1, because it is known to modulate neuronal circuits contributing to chronic pain states and affective behaviours. ⋯ Our results show that the development of mechanical hypersensitivity was similar in CB1 deficient mice and wild type controls. However, CB1 knockouts showed much more pronounced behavioural manifestations of anxiety-related behaviours in the light-dark and zero-maze tests, sucrose anhedonia, and disturbed home-cage activity. These results indicate that the endocannabinoid system affects chronic pain-induced mood changes through CB1 receptors.