Background: Low back pain (LBP) is one of the common musckloskeletal diseases and usual treated by epidural steroid injection (ESI). ESIs improve patients' quality of life, reduce lumbar radicular pain, and postpone spinal surgery. The mechanism of improvement is yet unscertain, perhaps involve type α collagen (COL2α) for bone maintenance, hence, we sought to investigate the role of injected steroids in bone healing focusing on the role of COL2α.Methods: All patients in this research were diagnosed by specialists based on their histories and clinical features and associated diseaeses or compiling therapy. Serum samples collected from LBP patients and control group for comparisons.Results: The present study found a significant (<0.0001) increase in the concentration of COL2α in patients with LBP after injection with ESI treatment compared with patients before injection and healthy individuals.Conclusion: ESI helps LBP sufferers by boosting COL2α, which repairs damaged tissues.
- MeSH
- Biomarkers analysis MeSH
- Back Pain * drug therapy MeSH
- Glucocorticoids administration & dosage pharmacology therapeutic use MeSH
- Injections, Epidural * methods MeSH
- Clinical Studies as Topic methods MeSH
- Collagen Type II * administration & dosage pharmacology therapeutic use MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Pain Management methods MeSH
- Radiculopathy etiology drug therapy MeSH
- Bone Regeneration drug effects MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
This study aimed to investigate changes in the H-reflex recruitment curve in compressive radiculopathy, specifically assessing differences between symptomatic and asymptomatic limbs in patients with unilateral S1 radiculopathy through derived parameters. A total of 24 volunteers (15 male and 9 female, aged between 22 and 60 years) with confirmed nerve root compression in the L5/S1 segment participated. Nerve root compression was verified through clinical MRI examination and attributed to disc protrusion, spinal canal stenosis, or isthmic spondylolisthesis of L5/S1. Analysis revealed no difference in M-wave threshold intensity between symptomatic and non-symptomatic limbs. However, the H-reflex exhibited a trend toward increased threshold intensity in the symptomatic limb. Notably, a significant decrease in the slope of the H-reflex was observed on the symptomatic side, and the maximal H-reflex amplitude proved to be markedly different between the two limbs. The Hmax/Mmax ratio demonstrated a significant decrease in the symptomatic limb, indicating reduced effectiveness of signal translation. In conclusion, our findings emphasize the importance of H-reflex parameters in evaluating altered recruitment curves, offering valuable insights for neurological examinations. The observed differences in maximal values of M-wave, H-reflex, and their ratio in affected and unaffected limbs can enhance the diagnostic process for lumbosacral unilateral radiculopathy and contribute to a standardized approach in clinical assessments.
- MeSH
- Adult MeSH
- Electromyography MeSH
- H-Reflex * physiology MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Young Adult MeSH
- Radiculopathy * physiopathology diagnosis MeSH
- Check Tag
- Adult MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Young Adult MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- MeSH
- Diagnosis, Differential MeSH
- Adult MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Low Back Pain * etiology pathology therapy MeSH
- Treatment Failure MeSH
- Radiculopathy * diagnosis MeSH
- Check Tag
- Adult MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Publication type
- Case Reports MeSH
Misdiagnosis is frequent in early motor neuron disease (MND), typically compressive radiculopathy, or in patients with restricted MND phenotype. In this retrospective, single tertiary centre study, we measured levels of neurofilament light (NfL) and phosphorylated neurofilament heavy (p-NfH) chain in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and of p-NfH in serum with commercially available ELISA kits and assessed their respective diagnostic performance as a marker of MND. The entire study population (n = 164) comprised 71 MND patients, 30 patients with compressive myelo- or radiculopathy, and 63 disease controls (DC). Among MND patients, we specified subgroups with only lower motoneuron involvement (MND-LMN, n = 15) and with confounding nerve roots or spinal cord compression (MND-C, n = 18), representing clinical diagnostic pitfalls. MND-LMN displayed significantly lower CSF NfL (p = 0.003) and p-NFH (p = 0.017), but not serum p-NfH (p = 0.347) levels compared to other MND patients (n = 56). The discriminative ability (area under the curve-AUC) of both CSF Nfs towards all MND patients was comparable to each other but significantly higher than that of p-NfH in serum (ps < 0.001). AUC of both CSF Nfs between MND-LMN and DC and also between MND-C and myelo-/radiculopathies were reduced, as compared to AUC between other MND and DC or myelo-/radiculopathies, respectively. Our results suggest that both Nfs in CSF represent a reliable diagnostic marker in a general MND population, fulfilling Awaji criteria. As for diagnostic pitfalls, and also for p-NfH in serum, their discriminative ability and, therefore, clinical utility appears to be limited.
- MeSH
- Intermittent Claudication etiology pathology MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Low Back Pain * classification pathology therapy MeSH
- Radiculopathy etiology classification pathology MeSH
- Cauda Equina Syndrome etiology pathology MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Publication type
- Review MeSH
Složitost struktury brachiálního plexu, různorodost lézí a častá přítomnost dalších přidružených poranění vyžadují multidisciplinární diagnostický proces, zahrnující kromě klinického vyšetření použití zobrazovacích a elektrofyziologických metod. Žádný z používaných testů není samostatně pro diagnostiku avulze dostatečně senzitivní ani specifický. Při nesprávné interpretaci může být předoperační diagnóza často chybná. Falešně pozitivní výsledky vedou ke zbytečné či špatně naplánované operaci, falešně negativní způsobují nevratnou morbiditu. Základem diagnostiky zůstává pečlivé klinické vyšetření. Neurofyziologické metody v předoperační fázi zahrnují elektroneurografii, jehlovou elektromyografii a evokované potenciály a hodnotí funkce jednotlivých částí plexu. Zobrazovací vyšetření hodnotí strukturu brachiálního plexu, v praxi je nejčastěji využívána CT perimyelografie, magnetická rezonance nebo jejich kombinace. Článek shrnuje současné metody, jejichž kombinací se zvyšuje senzitivita i specificita předoperačního vyšetření. To umožňuje přesnou identifikaci kandidátů včasné operace bez zbytečné časové prodlevy.
The complex structure and lesion variety of the brachial plexus, together with the frequent presence of concurrent tissue trauma, necessitates a multidisciplinary diagnostic approach including clinical, radiological, and electrophysiological examinations. Neither examination is individually sensitive or specific enough to diagnose radicular avulsion. Misinterpretation can result in an incorrect preoperative diagnosis of the present lesion. False positive results can lead to unnecessary or wrongly planned surgery; false negative results result in permanent morbidity. Careful clinical examination of the patient forms the cornerstone of a correct diagnosis. Preoperative neurophysiological methods evaluate individual portions of the brachial plexus and include electroneurography, needle electromyography and evoked potentials. Radiological examinations analyze the brachial plexus structure and include most often used CT perimyelography, magnetic resonance imaging or their combination. The article summarizes current combinations of diagnostic strategies, which increase the sensitivity and specificity of the preoperative diagnosis. This allows accurate identification of optimal surgical candidates for early surgery in a timely and efficient manner.
- MeSH
- Electrophysiological Phenomena MeSH
- Upper Extremity innervation MeSH
- Muscle, Skeletal innervation MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging MeSH
- Brachial Plexus * injuries MeSH
- Surgical Clearance MeSH
- Radiculopathy * diagnostic imaging pathology MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Publication type
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
- Review MeSH
- MeSH
- Fatal Outcome MeSH
- Comorbidity MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Paraneoplastic Syndromes, Nervous System diagnosis therapy MeSH
- Antibodies MeSH
- Radiculopathy * diagnosis therapy MeSH
- Aged MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Aged MeSH
- Publication type
- Case Reports MeSH
- MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Mononeuropathies etiology classification physiopathology MeSH
- Motor Neurons physiology pathology MeSH
- Nerve Fibers MeSH
- Brachial Plexus Neuropathies classification physiopathology MeSH
- Peripheral Nervous System * anatomy & histology physiology physiopathology MeSH
- Peripheral Nerves anatomy & histology physiology MeSH
- Polyneuropathies etiology classification physiopathology MeSH
- Radiculopathy classification physiopathology MeSH
- Somatosensory Disorders classification MeSH
- Muscular Atrophy, Spinal diagnosis etiology physiopathology MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Publication type
- Review MeSH
- MeSH
- Conservative Treatment methods MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Low Back Pain therapy MeSH
- Radiculopathy * therapy MeSH
- Rehabilitation methods MeSH
- Physical Therapy Modalities MeSH
- Treatment Outcome MeSH
- Check Tag
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Publication type
- Case Reports MeSH
Background and objectives: For the treatment of chronic unilateral radicular syndrome, there are various methods including three minimally invasive computed tomography (CT)-guided methods, namely, pulsed radiofrequency (PRF), transforaminal oxygen ozone therapy (TFOOT), and transforaminal epidural steroid injection (TFESI). Despite this, it is still unclear which of these methods is the best in terms of pain reduction and disability improvement. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the short and long-term effectiveness of these methods by measuring pain relief using the visual analogue scale (VAS) and improvement in disability (per the Oswestry disability index (ODI)) in patients with chronic unilateral radicular syndrome at L5 or S1 that do not respond to conservative treatment. Materials and Methods: After screening 692 patients, we enrolled 178 subjects, each of whom underwent one of the above CT-guided procedures. The PRF settings were as follows: pulse width = 20 ms, f = 2 Hz, U = 45 V, Z ˂ 500 Ω, and interval = 2 × 120 s. For TFOOT, an injection of 4-5 mL of an O2-O3 mixture (24 μg/mL) was administered. For the TFESI, 1 mL of a corticosteroid (betamethasone dipropionate), 3 mL of an anaesthetic (bupivacaine hydrochloride), and a 0.5 mL mixture of a non-ionic contrast agent (Iomeron 300) were administered. Pain intensity was assessed with a questionnaire. Results: The data from 178 patients (PRF, n = 57; TFOOT, n = 69; TFESI, n = 52) who submitted correctly completed questionnaires in the third month of the follow-up period were used for statistical analysis. The median pre-treatment visual analogue scale (VAS) score in all groups was six points. Immediately after treatment, the largest decrease in the median VAS score was observed in the TFESI group, with a score of 3.5 points (a decrease of 41.7%). In the PRF and TFOOT groups, the median VAS score decreased to 4 and 5 points (decreases of 33% and 16.7%, respectively). The difference in the early (immediately after) post-treatment VAS score between the TFESI and TFOOT groups was statistically significant (p = 0.0152). At the third and sixth months after treatment, the median VAS score was five points in all groups, without a statistically significant difference (p > 0.05). Additionally, there were no significant differences in the Oswestry disability index (ODI) values among the groups at any of the follow-up visits. Finally, there were no significant effects of age or body mass index (BMI) on both treatment outcomes (maximum absolute value of Spearman's rank correlation coefficient = 0.193). Conclusions: Although the three methods are equally efficient in reducing pain over the entire follow-up, we observed that TFESI (a corticosteroid with a local anaesthetic) proved to be the most effective method for early post-treatment pain relief.
- MeSH
- Injections, Epidural MeSH
- Oxygen MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Ozone * therapeutic use MeSH
- Pulsed Radiofrequency Treatment * MeSH
- Radiculopathy * drug therapy MeSH
- Treatment Outcome MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
