Autoimmune-informed Phenotyping in Chronic Non-Specific Low Back Pain
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Autoimmunity-informed Phenotyping in Chronic Non-Specific Low-Back Pain
IRAS ID
266453
Contact name
Andreas Goebel
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Liverpool
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 6 months, 1 days
Research summary
Non-specific low back pain (NsLBP) is a common painful condition, and refers to the experience of back pain without an identified injury causing it. Despite its common occurrence, we do not fully understand the causes and risk factors and many people suffer from severe, disabling symptoms without effective management.
Recent research from our group has identified the importance of immune factors in the chronic painful conditions complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) and fibromyalgia. These conditions are associated with severe pain on light touch/pressure and local skin signs such as increased sweating, or with widespread pain, respectively.
Some patients with severe NsLBP present with similar skin signs to CRPS, and NsLBP is a risk factor for the development of fibromyalgia. We wish to find out whether sub-groups of NsLBP sufferers may have similar skin immune factors as CRPS and if sufferers can be identified early as being at particularly high risk for the development of fibromyalgia; this study will also provide blood samples for later analysis into immune factors.
We will identify 100 patients through physiotherapy clinics at the NHS Walton Medical Centre and Aintree University Hospital, as well as the Walton Clinical Pain Management Registry, and invite them for a single visit for clinical assessment and blood donation. Participants with severe skin symptoms may be asked to return for a re-assessment, scheduled at a time of maximal pain flare, if this is possible. In a one-year follow-up telephone consultation we will then assess patients for the development of widespread pain and will invite those that have developed widespread pain for a repeat assessment visit.
We expect that this study will allow us for the first time to identify subgroups of NsLBP with similarities to CRPS or fibromyalgia, opening new avenues for their future treatment.
REC name
Wales REC 7
REC reference
21/WA/0120
Date of REC Opinion
10 Jun 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion