Journal
PAIN
Volume 120, Issue 3, Pages 244-266Publisher
LIPPINCOTT WILLIAMS & WILKINS
DOI: 10.1016/j.pain.2005.10.035
Keywords
RSD; neuropathic pain; immunohistochemistry
Categories
Funding
- NCI NIH HHS [CA 80153] Funding Source: Medline
- NINDS NIH HHS [NS 34692] Funding Source: Medline
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Complex regional pain syndromes (CRPS, type I and type II) are devastating conditions that can occur following soft tissue (CRPS type I) or nerve (CRPS type II) injury. CRPS type I, also known as reflex sympathetic dystrophy, presents in patients lacking a well-defined nerve lesion, and has been questioned as to whether or not it is a true neuropathic condition with an organic basis. As described here, glabrous and hairy skin samples from the amputated upper and lower extremity from two CRPS type I diagnosed patients were processed for double-label immunofluorescence using a battery of antibodies directed against neural-related proteins and mediators of nociceptive sensory function. In CRPS affected skin, several neuropathologic alterations were detected, including: (1) the presence of numerous abnormal thin caliber NF-positive/MBP-negative axons innervating hair follicles; (2) a decrease in epidermal, sweat gland, and vascular innervation; (3) a loss of CGRP expression on remaining innervation to vasculature and sweat glands; (4) an inappropriate expression of NPY on innervation to superficial arterioles and sweat glands; and (5) a loss of vascular endothelial integrity and extraordinary vascular hypertrophy. The results are evidence of widespread cutaneous neuropathologic changes. Importantly, in these CRPS type I patients, the myriad of clinical symptoms observed had detectable neuropathologic correlates. (c) 2005 International Association for the Study of Pain. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available