Journal of Pain Research (May 2019)

The impact of changes in serum levels of metalloproteinase-2 and metalloproteinase-9 on pain perception in patients with disc herniation before and after surgery

  • Kamieniak P,
  • Bielewicz J,
  • Kurzepa J,
  • Daniluk B,
  • Kocot J,
  • Trojanowski T

Journal volume & issue
Vol. Volume 12
pp. 1457 – 1464

Abstract

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Piotr Kamieniak,1 Joanna Bielewicz,2 Jacek Kurzepa,3 Beata Daniluk,4 Joanna Kocot,3 Tomasz Trojanowski11Department of Neurosurgery, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland; 2Department of Neurology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland; 3Department of Medical Chemistry, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland; 4Institute of Psychology, Marie Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin, Lublin, PolandPurpose: The aim of our research was to investigate the link between serum levels of metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9, and the degree of pain experienced before and 1 and 3 months after microdiscectomy in 70 patients with disc herniation (DH).Patients and methods: The control group (group C) consisted of 70 healthy subjects and the DH group consisted of 70 patients with sciatica pain caused by lumbar DH. Before (DH0) and 1 and 3 months after surgery, the patients were assessed in terms of the following biochemical parameters: MMP-2, tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases-2 (TIMP-2), MMP-2/TIMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1, and MMP-9/TIMP1, and the following clinical parameters: Numeric Rating Scale for the back (NRS-B) and the leg (NRS-L) and the Pain Rating Index (PRI) and Present Pain Intensity (PPI) of the McGill Pain Questionnaire.Results: No statistically significant correlations were observed following the biochemical and clinical assessments performed in group C and the DH group before surgery. After surgery (1 month), higher levels of TIMP-1 correlated with higher levels of NRS-B (rs =0.27; p<0.05). At 3 months after surgery higher levels of TIMP-2 and lower levels of MMP-2/TIMP-2 were correlated with higher levels of NRS-L (rs =0.27, p<0.05 and rs =−0.31, p<0.05, respectively) and higher levels of TIMP-2 were correlated with higher PRI scores (rs =0.27; p<0.005) and PPI scores (rs =0.35; p<0.01).Conclusion: The results showed that MMPs are involved in DH and play a significant role in the perception of pain after DH surgery. However, the value of MMPs as a potential therapeutic target in pain treatment should be considered cautiously.Keywords: neuropathic pain, disc herniation, metalloproteinases, tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases

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