Abstract
Study design
Longitudinal study.
Objectives
To assess the impact of spinal cord injury (SCI) on circulating levels of chemokines (CCL2 and CXCL10) and its relation with pain development.
Setting
National Hospital for SCI patients.
Methods
We longitudinally studied changes in the circulating levels of CCL2 and CXCL10 in 27 male patients with complete SCI who were evaluated in the early subacute phase and indeed 3 and 6 months after injury measuring at each time-point serum levels of CCL2 and CXCL10. Patients were telephonically interviewed about pain 1 year after SCI.
Results
In the early subacute phase, patients with pain showed higher CXCL10 and similar CCL2 levels as opposed to those without pain. Moreover, CCL2 concentrations were positively associated with pain intensity. The results obtained by analysing the temporal profile of the chemokines suggested that CXCL10 was inclined to decrease over time, while CCL2 increased over time.
Conclusion
The results of this preliminary study, the first performed in humans with traumatic SCI, suggest a link between changes in the circulating chemokine profile and pain development in subacute SCI stage as well as with severity in a more chronic stage. Large series studies will evaluate whether the circulating chemokine status can be useful as a biomarker for assessing the patients’ risk for pain development.
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Acknowledgements
We would like to thank Rosa Maria Arriero for helpful technical help.
Funding
This research was partially supported by the Grant FISCAM PI-2006/27 (Gobierno de Castilla La Mancha) and by the Department of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness and cofinanced by the European Union (FEDER) “A way to make Europe” (SAF2016–80647-R). LMM was recipient of a grant awarded by Roche.
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Contributions
LMM was responsible for conducting the search, extracting and analysing data, interpreting results, updating reference lists, writing the paper and revising the final paper. ASR was responsible for recruiting and evaluating the patients. FC was responsible for screening potentially eligible studies and extracting and analysing data. CAB was responsible for screening potentially eligible studies and discussing results. EVB was responsible for recruiting and evaluating the patients and revising the final paper. IBG was responsible for discussing results and revising the final paper. MR was responsible for designing the study, interpreting results and updating and revising the final paper. AO was responsible for designing the study, designing the review protocol, writing the protocol, interpreting results and writing the final paper.
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Mordillo-Mateos, L., Sánchez-Ramos, A., Coperchini, F. et al. Development of chronic pain in males with traumatic spinal cord injury: role of circulating levels of the chemokines CCL2 and CXCL10 in subacute stage. Spinal Cord 57, 953–959 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41393-019-0311-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41393-019-0311-3
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