Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33194278›Full record

ArticleSurgical neurology international2020

Radionuclide tumor necrosis factor-alpha activity in herniated lumbar disc correlates with severe leg pain.

Pablo Andrade, Jasper van Aalst, Matthias Bauwens, Andreas Vogg, Marinus J van Kroonenburgh, Felix M Mottaghy, Onno P Teernstra, Govert Hoogland

Open access · hybridAbstract readCase Reports
In one paragraph

Article in Surgical neurology international, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
0.1field-weighted citation impact, top 50% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed, 1 citations in OpenAlex.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 4 institutions in 3 countries.

Pablo AndradeDepartment of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Jasper van AalstDepartment of Neurosurgery Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands.
Matthias BauwensDepartment of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands.
Andreas VoggDepartment of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany.
Marinus J van KroonenburghDepartment of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands.
Felix M MottaghyDepartment of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands.
Onno P TeernstraDepartment of Neurosurgery Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands.
Govert HooglandDepartment of Neurosurgery Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands.
Maastricht University · NLNeurological Surgery · USRWTH Aachen University · DEUniversity Hospital Cologne · DE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundLumbar disc herniation is often associated with an inflammatory process. In this context, inflammation has been considered a key factor in the modulation of pain. Here, we present a case of inflammatory activity directly documented in a patient with a lumbar disc herniation. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 49-year-old male presented with progressive low back pain and left-sided S1 radiculopathy, without a focal neurological deficit. The lumbar MR revealed a prominent herniated disc at the L5-S1 level, with compression of the left S1 root. The patient underwent a L5-S1 discectomy using a standard interlaminar approach. Although initially he was pain free, he required three additional operations to address recurrent pain complaints. As research indicates that local inflammation contributes to neuropathic pain, we had the patient undergoes single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging using technetium-99m-labeled-infliximab (an anti-tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-alpha monoclonal antibody) before a proposed fourth operation. The SPECT study documented a strong signal at the site of the herniated disc, thus confirming the diagnosis of a pro-inflammatory process involving the S1 nerve root. Nine months after the fourth operation, the patient was pain free. Of interest, the second SPECT study in the now asymptomatic patient demonstrated no detectable/ residual signal at the operative/disc site.

conclusionAbsence of a SPECT TNF-alpha signal in a pain-free patient following a lumbar discectomy correlates with the reduction/resolution of the local preoperative inflammatory response.

Indexed as

Chronic painDisc herniationInfliximabLow back painTechnetium-99mTumor necrosis factor-alpha

Identifiers

PMID33194278
PMCPMC7656018
OpenAlexW3101926452

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-SA
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.