Validation of translational biomarkers of neuropathic pain
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Identification and validation of translational biomarkers of chronic neuropathic pain.
IRAS ID
212868
Contact name
Patrick McHugh
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Huddersfield
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
The two main types of chronic pain are inflammatory pain and neuropathic pain (NP). Inflammatory pain is associated with tissue damage and the resulting inflammatory process. In contrast, NP is caused by lesions of the nervous system which can result from trauma, xenobiotics, infection or existing underlying disease, such as diabetes or depression. Common symptoms include an exaggerated response to a painful stimulus (hyperalgesia) or pain occurring from a normally non-painful input (allodynia). Chronic pain may involve a mix of both inflammatory and neuropathic factors. Whereby inflammation may cause damage to the neurons and produce neuropathic pain, conversely, neuronal injury may cause an inflammatory reaction (neurogenic inflammation) that contributes to inflammatory pain. Due to the complex nature of NP and the presence of multiple manifestations, NP is universally recognized as one of the most difficult pain syndromes to diagnose, and therefore treat, with most pharmacological treatment of patients determined by trial and error. Therefore, we aim to develop a simple but robust blood test to identify predetermined biomarkers that can discern different forms of NP. We also aim to confirm the relationship between biomarker candidates, individual pain sensitivity and current diagnostic tools used to diagnose neuropathic pain, such as the S-LANSS and PD-Q test. This will provide a more sensitive and accurate testing method, enabling clinicians to identify more effective treatments for each form of NP. Biomarkers to be explored will include pathways or molecules that have previously been linked to pain, as well exploring for novel NP-related pathways.
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Bradford Leeds Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/YH/0005
Date of REC Opinion
15 Feb 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion