Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39754683›Full record

ReviewCurrent pain and headache reports2025

Efficacy of Immunotherapy for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome: A Narrative Review.

Alan D Kaye, Angela Nguyen, Jolie Boullion, Mary-Elizabeth F Blue, Dillion W Hopson Allen, Rucha A Kelkar, Aya Mouhaffel, Andrew T Ro, Shahab Ahmadzadeh, Sahar Shekoohi and 1 more

Abstract readReview
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Current pain and headache reports, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
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

11 authors.

Alan D KayeDepartments of Anesthesiology and Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Neurosciences, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, 71103, USA.
Angela NguyenSchool of Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, 71103, USA.
Jolie BoullionSchool of Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, 71103, USA.
Mary-Elizabeth F BlueAmerican University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, 10315 USA Today Way, Miramar, FL, 33025, USA.
Dillion W Hopson AllenAmerican University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, 10315 USA Today Way, Miramar, FL, 33025, USA.
Rucha A KelkarSchool of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, 171 Ashley Avenue, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA.
Aya MouhaffelDepartment of Anesthesiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, 71103, USA.
Andrew T RoDepartment of Internal Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, 71103, USA.
Shahab AhmadzadehDepartment of Anesthesiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, 71103, USA.
Sahar ShekoohiDepartment of Anesthesiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, 71103, USA. sahar.shekoohi@lsuhs.edu.
Christopher L RobinsonDepartment of Anesthesiology, Critical Care, and Pain Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purpose of reviewComplex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a chronic condition characterized by disproportional pain typically affecting an extremity. Management of CRPS is centered around specific symptomatology, which tends to be a combination of autonomic dysfunction, nociceptive sensitization, chronic inflammation, and/or motor dysfunction. Targeting the autoimmune component of CRPS provides a way to both symptomatically treat as well as minimize progression of CRPS. RECENT

findingsUnderstanding the physiology of CRPS and strategies for treating and targeting immunophysiology behind CRPS allows examination of the efficacy of such treatments. IL-1 receptor antagonism, glucocorticoid administration, IVIG infusion, and TNFα inhibitors are treatments that target the immune response and decrease inflammation, thereby reducing pain and enhancing function in patients with CRPS. IL-1 receptor antagonism is thought to inhibit the inflammatory effects of IL-1, a key player in the inflammatory process in CRPS. Glucocorticoids have anti-inflammatory properties and can reduce inflammation in affected tissues. IVIG infusion involves administering immunoglobulins, which may modulate the immune response and reduce autoimmunity in CRPS. TNFα inhibitors block the action of TNFα, a pro-inflammatory cytokine associated with CRPS development. These therapies are further discussed at the extent of mechanism of action as well as advantages and limitations of such therapies. The present investigation provides a detailed summary of the mechanism of action, advantages, and limitations of novel immunomodulatory therapies and recent studies and trials that investigated these therapies for CRPS. Future studies are warranted related to the role of immunomodulators in the treatment of CRPS.

Indexed as

Complex Regional Pain SyndromesImmunotherapyGlucocorticoidsHumansImmunoglobulins, IntravenousTreatment OutcomeGlucocorticoidsImmunoglobulins, IntravenousComplex Regional Pain SyndromeGlucocorticoidsIL-1IVIGTNFα inhibitors

Identifiers

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.