Interactions between Musculoskeletal Dysfunction, Emotional Distress and Cytokines in Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain Syndrome

Abstract

Despite different treatment methods, for approximately 30% of patients acute back pain turns into chronic pain syndrome which accompanied by disability creates remarkable material damage to patients themselves, to health care and to the society. The aim of the study was to analyse the interaction between musculoskeletal dysfunction, emotional distress and related disability, and their underlying neuroimonological pathophysiological mechanisms, in patients with chronic low back pain syndrome. The subjects were 43 patients, mean age 45 ± 1.3 years, with clinical diagnosis of lumbar spine disk pathology with chronic low back pain syndrome and present manifestation of emotional distress. All patients had complex assessment that included lumbar spine and pelvic motor control tests, muscle and ligaments palpation tests, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, PF subscale of SF-36 survey, Visual Analogue Scale, immunological analysis of blood to detect the level of cytokines. The results approved interaction (p < 0.05) between motor control and palpation tests results, emotional distress features and pain intensity. Therefore musculoskeletal dysfunction in patients with chronic low back pain is connected both with physical and psycho-emotional factors, which has to be taken into account both when evaluating functional tests and during the treatment process. Clinically important finding is that limitation in physical activities in chronic low back pain patients are affected both by motor control impairment and depression symptoms, as well as pain intensity, which has to be remembered during rehabilitation planning process. Some of cytokines (TNF-a, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-2) correlated with emotional disturbances physical disturbances, pain syndrome characteristics and physical disability in patients with chronic low back pain. IL-10 and IL-8 appeared to be two of the most characteristic cytokines. It is interesting to note, that in literature studies have approved the role of IL-10 in the pathogenesis of chronic, widespread pain syndrome, but IL-8 has been shown in the role of the pathogenesis of radicular pain syndrome in patients with lumbar spine disk pathology [1, 2]. Studies of cytokines extend the understanding of bio-psycho-social aspects of chronic pain syndrome pathogenesis therefore improving process of assessment, clinical reasoning and therapy. Keywords: musculoskeletal dysfunction, emotional distress, chronic pain, cytokines.