Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is the main cause of low back pain. Immune cells play an extremely important role in regulating the progression of IDD by interacting with nucleus pulposus (NP) cells and the extracellular matrix (ECM). Healthy NP tissue is a vascular-free and immune-privileged tissue that does not normally interact with macrophages. However, the establishment of neovascularization channels in damaged intervertebral discs has led to extensive cross-talk between NP and macrophages, with different results depending on microenvironmental stimuli. Based on this, this review reviewed the correlation between IDD and low back pain, summarized the source and function of macrophages, and discussed the possible regulatory mechanism between macrophages and discogenic pain. Finally, potential therapies targeting macrophages to delay IDD in recent years were also discussed, aiming to emphasize the important role of immunology in IDD and provide a new direction for the prevention and treatment of IDD.
Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Degeneration/complications* ; Macrophages/immunology* ; Low Back Pain/immunology* ; Nucleus Pulposus ; Animals ; Extracellular Matrix

In China, the number of chronic pain patients has exceeded 300 million, making chronic pain the third major health problem after tumors and cardiovascular diseases. Particularly concerning is the gradual emergence of hypertension and chronic low back pain as public health problems that threaten public health and increase the global economic burden. Modern research shows that the incidence of coexisting hypertension is higher among patients with chronic low back pain. Additionally, evidence indicates that the use of NSAIDs for pain relief can have adverse effects on blood pressure, and some antihypertensive medications may trigger symptoms of low back pain. Thus, addressing chronic pain in hypertensive patients while stabilizing blood pressure is one of the important research questions in the modern treatment of hypertension among middle-aged and elderly individuals. From ancient to modern traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) theory, kidney deficiency has been regarded as the core pathogenesis of low back pain. Recent clinical practices and literature indicate that kidney deficiency plays a crucial role in the modern pathogenesis of hypertension. Both hypertension and chronic low back pain are closely associated with kidney deficiency in TCM theory, revealing a potential mechanism linking the two conditions. Combining the theories of " kidney-essence-marrow" and " nourishing water to moisten wood", a therapeutic strategy centered on tobifying kidney was proposed, including selecting single drugs with kidney-tonifying effects as well as compound formulations and elaborating modern research evidence. The aim is to achieve stable blood pressure control in hypertension patients with chronic low back pain while providing a new treatment perspective for chronic low back pain. This article systematically elaborates on the understanding of hypertension combined with chronic low back pain from both TCM and modern medicine, as well as the therapeutic strategy involving kidney-tonifying drugs, to offer useful references for clinical practice.
Humans ; Hypertension/complications* ; Low Back Pain/complications* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Kidney/drug effects* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Chronic Pain/drug therapy*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effectiveness and safety of simultaneous bilateral total knee athroplasty (SB-TKA) for the treatment of patients aged 65 years and younger with bilateral knee osteoarthritis (KOA) by comparing with patients undergoing unilateral total knee arthroplasty (U-TKA). METHODS: A clinical data of patients, who underwent primary TKA for KOA and met the selection criteria between June 2019 and July 2023, was retrospectively analyzed, including 181 patients in the U-TKA group and 52 patients in the SB-TKA group. The baseline data of age, gender, disease duration, body mass index, and preoperative hemoglobin (Hb), knee range of motion (ROM), Oxford knee score (OKS), and visual analogue scale (VAS) score for pain were compared between the two groups, with no significant difference ( P>0.05). The operation time, postoperative hospital stay, and all complications related to knee arthroplasty were recorded. Hb was measured at 2 days after operation and the difference between pre- and post-operation was calculated. The knee function and pain were evaluated by using ROM, OKS score, and VAS score and compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The operation time and postoperative hospital stay duration were significantly shorter in the U-TKA group than in the SB-TKA group ( P<0.05). The difference of Hb was significantly lower in the U-TKA group ( P<0.05). All patients were followed up 12-61 months (mean, 37.2 months). There was no significant difference in follow-up time between the two groups ( P>0.05). At last follow-up, the ROM, OKS score, and VAS score of both groups were better than the preoperative ones, and the differences were significant ( P<0.05); there were significant differences between the two groups in the ROM and OKS score ( P<0.05), while no significant difference was found in the VAS score ( P>0.05). Mild complications were observed in 31 cases (17.13%) and severe complications in 3 cases (1.66%) in the U-TKA group, while mild complications were observed in 14 cases (26.92%) in the SB-TKA group, and no severe complication occurred. There was no significant difference in the incidences of mild and severe complications between the two groups ( P>0.05). CONCLUSION In patients aged 65 years and younger with bilateral KOA, knee function and mobility can significantly improved when treated by SB-TKA. While patients had lower postoperative knee mobility and function scores compared with U-TKA, there was no significant difference in pain scores or overall incidence of complication. Strict patient selection and scientific perioperative management are important to achieve good effectiveness after operation in patients with SB-TKA.
Humans ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee/adverse effects* ; Male ; Female ; Retrospective Studies ; Osteoarthritis, Knee/physiopathology* ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Treatment Outcome ; Middle Aged ; Operative Time ; Length of Stay ; Knee Joint/physiopathology* ; Pain Measurement ; Postoperative Complications/epidemiology* ; Aged

Chronic pain, a prevalent chronic disease, frequently manifests not only in physical symptoms but also in cognitive impairment, which seriously affects patients' quality of life. Interneurons are multipolar neurons, most of which are inhibitory, serving as crucial connectors within neural networks. They play key roles in signal transmission and fine-tuning of neural activity. In recent years, growing evidence has shown that interneurons are involved in the development of chronic pain and its associated cognitive dysfunction. Investigating the relationship between interneuron dysfunction and chronic pain-related cognitive impairment is of great significance, offering new potential targets and insights for the development of novel therapeutic approaches.
Interneurons/physiology* ; Humans ; Chronic Pain/complications* ; Cognitive Dysfunction/physiopathology* ; Cognition Disorders/physiopathology* ; Animals

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the risk factors of overall postoperative complications in elderly patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgeries. METHODS: This study was conducted among a total of 1388 elderly patients, who underwent elective gastrointestinal surgeries at 17 centers across China between April, 2020 and April, 2022. The primary outcome was the incidence of postoperative complications within 30 days, including procedure-related, neuropsychiatric, respiratory, cardiovascular, and gastrointestinal complications as well as acute kidney injury. Baseline characteristics, preoperative psychological and functional status, intraoperative anesthesia and surgical factors, intraoperative medication, use of nerve block, and postoperative analgesia methods were compared between the patients experiencing one or more postoperative complications and those without complications. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the independent risk factors for postoperative complications. The relationship between postoperative acute pain and each type of complication were explored. RESULTS: The incidence of overall postoperative complications was 50.8% (705/1388) in these patients. Multivariate analysis showed that age (OR: 1.026; 95% CI: 1.006-1.046), prognostic nutritional index (OR: 0.998; 95% CI: 0.997-1.000), preoperative EuroQol-5 dimensions score (OR: 0.094; 95% CI: 0.018-0.500), blood loss (OR: 1.002; 95% CI: 1.001-1.003), and acute postoperative pain (OR: 1.308; 95% CI: 1.033-1.657) were significantly associated with the occurrence of postoperative complications. Specifically, patients experiencing severe postoperative pain had a significantly higher incidence of neuropsychiatric (27.2% vs 19.8%), procedure-related (17.3% vs 10.2%), and cardiovascular complications (3.6% vs 1.7%). CONCLUSIONS An advanced age, a low preoperative nutritional index, a poor quality of life score, a greater volume of intraoperative blood loss, and acute postoperative pain are independent risk factors for postoperative complications in elderly patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgeries. There is a significant association between acute postoperative pain and multi-system complications.
Humans ; Postoperative Complications/etiology* ; Aged ; Risk Factors ; Digestive System Surgical Procedures/adverse effects* ; Male ; Female ; China/epidemiology* ; Pain, Postoperative/epidemiology* ; Incidence ; Aged, 80 and over

The primary clinical manifestation of osteoarthritis (OA) is pain, yet considerable variability exists in the pain experience among OA patients. This narrative review aims to explore the mechanisms driving OA pain heterogeneity to inform the development of targeted interventions that improve treatment efficacy and patient outcomes. A comprehensive literature search was conducted across multiple databases (PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar) for papers published between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2024. Inclusion criteria focused on studies addressing pain mechanisms and therapeutic interventions in OA. This review identifies key mechanisms of OA pain, including joint alterations, angiogenesis, nervous system involvement, peripheral and central sensitization, and psychosocial factors. It highlights the underlying distinct mechanisms in OA pain, which contribute to the variability in individuals' responses to treatment. It was suggested that interactions between neuroimmune and neurovascular systems are key contributors to chronic pain in OA. This narrative review emphasizes the complexity of OA pain, highlighting the importance of thoroughly understanding the underlying mechanisms for developing personalized and effective pain management strategies. Additional research is required to refine treatment approaches and explore long-term effects.
Humans ; Osteoarthritis/complications* ; Pain Management/methods* ; Chronic Pain/etiology*

Cancer pain is one of the most common symptoms in patients with advanced cancer. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of the Mas-related gene C (MrgC) receptors on bone cancer pain. Mechanical withdrawal threshold (MWT) and thermal withdrawal latency (TWL) were measured after the inoculation of Walker 256 mammary gland carcinoma cells into the tibia of adult Sprague-Dawley rats. The effects of MrgC receptor agonist bovine adrenal medulla 8-22 (BAM8-22) on nociceptive behaviors were investigated after intrathecal injection on days 16 and 17. Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-positive cells in the spinal dorsal cord, and calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP)-, neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS)- and IL-1β-positive neurons in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) were examined by immunofluorescence staining. The expression of nNOS and IL-1β proteins in the spinal dorsal horn and the DRG was examined by Western blotting after treatment with (Tyr6)-γ2-MSH-6-12 (MSH), which was another MrgC receptor agonist. The results showed that intrathecal injection of BAM8-22 (30 nmol) attenuated mechanical allodynia in a rat model of bone cancer pain and the effects could last for about 60 min, and single administration of BAM8-22 for two consecutive days reduced mechanical allodynia by about half on the third day. Moreover, the number of GFAP-positive cells in the spinal dorsal horn, and the number of CGRP-, nNOS- and IL-1β-positive neurons in the DRG were decreased. Similarly, intrathecal administration of MSH (15 nmol) reduced the expression of nNOS and IL-1β in the spinal dorsal horn and the DRG. In conclusion, activation of MrgC receptors suppresses the activation of astrocytes in the spinal dorsal cord and the expression of CGRP, nNOS, and IL-1β in the spinal dorsal cord and/or DRG, which may underlie the inhibition of bone cancer pain. These findings provide a novel strategy for the treatment of bone cancer pain.
Animals ; Cancer Pain/drug therapy* ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Bone Neoplasms/complications* ; Ganglia, Spinal/metabolism* ; Spinal Cord Dorsal Horn/metabolism* ; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled/genetics* ; Female ; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide/genetics* ; Interleukin-1beta/metabolism* ; Peptide Fragments/metabolism* ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I/genetics* ; Disease Models, Animal

OBJECTIVE: To compare the mid- and long-term effectiveness of patellar resurfacing versus non-resurfacing in primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA). METHODS: Twenty-six patients who underwent bilateral TKA between March 2013 and September 2015 were selected as the study subjects. One side was randomly chosen for patellar resurfacing (resurfacing group), and the other side was not (control group). There were 4 males and 22 females, the age ranged from 51 to 65 years, with an average of 59 years. According to Kellgren-Lawrence classification, there were 21 cases of grade Ⅳ and 5 cases of grade Ⅲ in both knees. There was no significant difference in the surgical side, and preoperative clinical and functional scores of the Knee Society Score (KSS), visual analogue scale (VAS) score, and the composition ratio of anterior knee pain localization points between the two groups ( P>0.05). The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative abnormal signs such as patellar clunk, feeling of constraint, patellar tendon weakness, crepitus, or snow-on-glass sensation, and the occurrence of complications were recorded and compared. Patient subjective evaluations included Forgotten Joint Score (FJS) and the degree of difficulty in high-level knee activities (including flexion with load bearing, going upstairs, going downstairs, squatting and standing up, kneeling, knee extension, and crossing legs for 7 items); KSS clinical/functional scores and VAS scores were used to evaluate the recovery of knee joint function, and the location of anterior knee pain was determined by a localization diagram. RESULTS: The operation time of the resurfacing group was significantly longer than that of the control group ( P<0.05), and there was no significant difference in intraoperative blood loss between the two groups ( P>0.05). All patients' incisions healed by first intention; the hospital stay ranged from 8 to 23 days, with an average of 12.6 days. All patients were followed up 9-11 years, with an average of 9.7 years. Except for 1 case who died of multiple organ failure due to internal diseases at 9 years after operation and 5 cases with incomplete radiological data, the rest 20 patients were assessed radiologically and found that 1 side of the knee joint in the control group had patellar dislocation; the remaining patients had no prosthetic failure (fracture, loosening, displacement, etc.), patellar fracture, patellar necrosis, patellar instability, patellar tendon rupture, prosthetic revision, etc. No patients had reoperations due to patellar-related complications or anterior knee pain in both knee joints. At 2 years postoperatively and at last follow-up, there was no significant difference in the incidence of abnormal signs such as patellar clunk, feeling of constraint, patellar tendon weakness, crepitus, or snow-on-glass sensation, the incidence of high-level knee activity difficulty, and the composition ratio of anterior knee pain localization between the two groups ( P>0.05). The KSS clinical scores, functional scores, and VAS scores of both groups significantly improved compared to preoperative ones ( P<0.05); there was no significant difference in the comparison between the two groups at the two time points postoperatively ( P>0.05). At 2 years postoperatively and at last follow-up, there was no significant difference in FJS scores between the two groups ( P>0.05). CONCLUSION Patellar resurfacing or not has similar mid- and long-term effectiveness in primary TKA.
Humans ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee/methods* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Female ; Patella/surgery* ; Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Knee Joint/surgery* ; Knee Prosthesis ; Pain Measurement ; Osteoarthritis, Knee/surgery* ; Pain, Postoperative/etiology* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Postoperative Complications ; Recovery of Function

PURPOSE: Various surgical modalities are available to treat Neer types 2 and 5 unstable fractures of lateral end clavicle but none of them are standardized. Arthroscopic fixation of the displaced lateral end clavicle fractures provides good short-term results but mid- to long-term outcomes are not available. The purpose of this study was to show the mid- to long-term radiological and functional outcomes of these fractures treated arthroscopically by a TightRope device, and to show the complications associated with this procedure. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted over 2 years from January 2014 to December 2015 with a minimum 5-year follow-up. Active patients aged 18-50 years with acute (less than 3 weeks) displaced fracture of lateral end of the clavicle, with a minimum 5-year follow-up were included in the study. Patients with associated fractures of the proximal humerus, glenoid, scapula and acromioclavicular joint injuries were excluded from the study along with open fractures and neurovascular injuries. The outcomes were assessed by objective (complications and radiographic examination) and subjective criteria (quick disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand score, the Constant-Murley score and the visual pain analogue scale). The data were analyzed by SPSS version 21.0. RESULTS: Totally, 42 patients were operated during the study period and 37 were available with a minimum 5-year follow-up. Thirty were male and 7 were female with a mean age of 29.5 years and a mean follow-up of 6.1 years. The mean quick disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand score was 68.2 ± 4.6 preoperatively and 1.27 ± 2.32 at final follow-up (p < 0.001); the mean visual pain analogue scale score was 6.85 ± 2.2 preoperatively and 0.86 ± 1.60 at final follow-up (p < 0.001). The average Constant-Murley score was 93.38 ± 3.25 at the end of the follow-up. There were 2 fixation failures, with established non-union and 3 patients developed radiographic acromioclavicular joint arthritis. CONCLUSIONS Arthroscopic TightRope fixation of displaced lateral end clavicular fractures provides good radiological and functional outcomes at mid- to long-term follow-up. With the low complication rates and high patient satisfaction, this technique can be considered as a primary option in the surgical treatment of these fractures.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Adult ; Follow-Up Studies ; Clavicle/surgery* ; Retrospective Studies ; Fractures, Bone/complications* ; Fracture Fixation, Internal/methods* ; Fractures, Open ; Pain ; Treatment Outcome

Moderate and deep sedation can effectively relieve or eliminate the pain and body discomfort during wound dressing change in pediatric burn patients, relieve anxiety, agitation, and even delirium of the children, reduce the metabolic rate of the children, make them in a quiet, comfortable, and cooperative state, which is conducive to the smooth completion of dressing change. This paper summarized the three aspects of moderate and deep sedation in pediatric burn patients, including the overview, main points of implementation, and effects, and further introduced the moderate and deep sedation medication regimens for different routes of administration, as well as the content of evaluation and monitoring. Suggestions on the prevention and management of related complications and the management of moderate and deep sedation implementation procedures were put forward, in order to provide references for the development of moderate and deep sedation for wound dressing change in pediatric burn patients in China.
Child ; Humans ; Bandages/adverse effects* ; Burns/therapy* ; Deep Sedation ; Pain/complications* ; Pain Management/methods*