Researchers at The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research not in a new study that biochemical profiling of circulating cytokines may help refine more personalized diagnoses of disc diseases.
The study was published recently in Arthritis Research and Therapy.
Feinstein researchers conducted the study with Northwell Health, formerly the North Shore-LIJ Health System, clinicians in the departments of neurosurgery and physical medicine and rehabilitation, per a media release from Northwell Health.
The team, led by Nadeen Chahine, PhD, associate investigator at the Feinstein Institute, recruited 133 participants from Northwell Health who suffered from low back pain as well as a control group.
The researchers looked at the biochemical profile of the participants with low back pain. Via the profile, they studied proteins known as cytokines, specifically IL-6, to determine how they influenced the behavior and pain levels of those with low back pain. They also looked at whether body mass index (BMI), symptom duration, or age had any effect on those serum levels, the release explains.
According to the study, the researchers found that serum levels of IL-6 were significantly higher in subjects with low back pain compared with control participants. Additionally, participants with low back pain due to spinal stenosis or degenerative disc disease also had higher levels than those with intervertebral disc herniation and controls.
The findings suggest that patients with low back pain have low-grade systemic inflammation and that biochemical profiling of circulating cytokines can assist in diagnosing those with low back pain, the release explains.
[Source(s): Northwell Health, PR Newswire]
