Sensibilidad de la respuesta simpática cutánea y de la gammagrafía en el diagnóstico del síndrome dolor regional complejo / Sensitivity of the sympathetic skin response and scintigraphy in the diagnosis of complex regional pain syndrome

Objetivo: Evaluar la sensibilidad de la respuesta simpática cutánea (RSC) y compararla con la gammagrafía en pacientes con síndrome de dolor regional complejo diagnosticados según criterios de Budapest. Material y métodos: Se evaluó prospectivamente a 22 pacientes con síndrome de dolor regional complejo que acudieron al Servicio de Rehabilitación y Medicina Física entre enero-2018 y mayo-2022. La gammagrafía se consideró positiva si en la 1.a-2.a fase se apreció leve captación asimétrica y difusa, o cuando en la 3.a fase se apreció marcada captación periarticular del radioisótopo. La RSC era anormal si se observaba: a) ausencia de respuesta tras 20 estímulos; b) falta de habituación con permanencia de los estímulos mayor al 67,2%. Resultados: Edad 55,4±8,57 años. Síndrome de dolor regional complejo más frecuente en mujeres (90,9%), más común en miembros superiores (68,2%) que en inferiores (31,8%). En la RSC hemos observado respuesta normal (<67,2%) en 2 pacientes (11,1%), falta de RSC en 2 pacientes (11,1%) y falta de habituación (>67,2%) en 14 pacientes (77,8%). En total, 16 pacientes presentaron respuestas anormales o ausentes (88,8%). La sensibilidad diagnóstica de la gammagrafía es similar a la de la RSC (89,5 vs. 88,8%), sin diferencia estadística (p=0,6721). Conclusión: La Gammagrafía ha demostrado una sensibilidad similar a la RSC, aunque la simpleza, el bajo coste y la no invasividad de esta última técnica sugieren que podría ser más coste/efectiva y segura (no ionizante). La falta de habituación y la ausencia de respuesta podrían identificar patrones de respuesta y localizar la afectación en las vías aferente, central, eferente o post ganglionar.(AU)

Objective: To evaluate the sensitivity of sympathetic skin response (SSR) and compare it with scintigraphy in patients with complex regional pain syndrome diagnosed according to the Budapest criteria. Material and methods: Twenty-two patients with complex regional pain syndrome who attended the Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine Department between January-2018 and May-2022 have been prospectively evaluated. The scintigraphy was considered positive if in the 1st-2nd phase slight asymmetric and diffuse uptake was observed, or when in the 3rd phase marked periarticular radioisotope uptake was observed. SSR was abnormal if: a) no response after 20 stimuli; b) lack of habituation with permanence of the stimuli greater than 67.2%. Results: Age 55.4±8.57 years. Complex regional pain syndrome was more frequent in women (90.9%), more common in upper limbs (68.2%) than lower limbs (31.8%). In SSR, we have observed normal response (<67.2%) in 2 patients (11.1%), lack of SSR in 2 patients (11.1%) and lack of habituation (>67.2%) in 14 patients (77.8%). In total, 16 patients presented abnormal or absent responses (88.8%). The diagnostic sensitivity of scintigraphy is similar to that of SSR (89.5% vs 88.8%), with no statistical difference (P=.6721). Conclusion: Scintigraphy has shown similar sensitivity to SSR, although the simplicity, security, low cost, non-ionizing and non-invasiveness of the latter technique suggest that it could be more cost-effective. The lack of habituation and the absence of response could identify response patterns and localize the involvement in the afferent, central, efferent or post-ganglionic pathways.(AU)

[Sensitivity of the sympathetic skin response and scintigraphy in the diagnosis of complex regional pain syndrome]. / Sensibilidad de la respuesta simpática cutánea y de la gammagrafía en el diagnóstico del síndrome dolor regional complejo.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the sensitivity of sympathetic skin response (SSR) and compare it with scintigraphy in patients with complex regional pain syndrome diagnosed according to the Budapest criteria. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty-two patients with complex regional pain syndrome who attended the Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine Department between January-2018 and May-2022 have been prospectively evaluated. The scintigraphy was considered positive if in the 1st-2nd phase slight asymmetric and diffuse uptake was observed, or when in the 3rd phase marked periarticular radioisotope uptake was observed. SSR was abnormal if: a) no response after 20 stimuli; b) lack of habituation with permanence of the stimuli greater than 67.2%. RESULTS: Age 55.4±8.57 years. Complex regional pain syndrome was more frequent in women (90.9%), more common in upper limbs (68.2%) than lower limbs (31.8%). In SSR, we have observed normal response (<67.2%) in 2 patients (11.1%), lack of SSR in 2 patients (11.1%) and lack of habituation (>67.2%) in 14 patients (77.8%). In total, 16 patients presented abnormal or absent responses (88.8%). The diagnostic sensitivity of scintigraphy is similar to that of SSR (89.5% vs 88.8%), with no statistical difference (P=.6721). CONCLUSION: Scintigraphy has shown similar sensitivity to SSR, although the simplicity, security, low cost, non-ionizing and non-invasiveness of the latter technique suggest that it could be more cost-effective. The lack of habituation and the absence of response could identify response patterns and localize the involvement in the afferent, central, efferent or post-ganglionic pathways.

Neural Correlates of Pain-Autonomic Coupling in Patients With Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Treated by Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation of the Motor Cortex.

OBJECTIVES: Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a chronic pain condition involving autonomic dysregulation. In this study, we report the results of an ancillary study to a larger clinical trial investigating the treatment of CRPS by neuromodulation. This ancillary study, based on functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), evaluated the neural correlates of pain in patients with CRPS in relation to the sympathetic nervous system and for its potential relief after repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation of the motor cortex. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eleven patients with CRPS at one limb (six women, five men, aged 52.0 ± 9.6 years) were assessed before and one month after the end of a five-month repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) therapy targeting the motor cortex contralateral to the painful limb, by means of electrochemical skin conductance (ESC) measurement, daily pain intensity scores on a visual numerical scale (VNS), and fMRI with motor tasks (alternation of finger movements and rest). The fMRI scans were analyzed voxelwise using ESC and VNS pain score as regressors to derive their neural correlates. The criterion of response to rTMS therapy was defined as ≥30% reduction in VNS pain score one month after treatment compared with baseline. RESULTS: At baseline, ESC values were reduced in the affected limb vs the nonaffected limb. There was a covariance of VNS with brain activation in a small region of the primary somatosensory cortex (S1) contralateral to the painful side on fMRI investigation. After rTMS therapy on motor cortex related to the painful limb, the VNS pain scores significantly decreased by 22% on average. The criterion of response was met in six of 11 patients (55%). In these responders, at one month after treatment, ESC value increased and returned to normal in the CRPS-affected limb, and overall, the increase in ESC correlated with the decrease in VNS after motor cortex rTMS therapy. At one month after treatment, there also was a covariance of both variables (ESC and VNS) with fMRI activation of the S1 region previously mentioned. The fMRI activation of other brain regions (middle frontal gyrus and temporo-parietal junction) showed correlation with ESC values before and after treatment. Finally, we found a positive correlation at one month after treatment (not at baseline) between VNS pain score and fMRI activation in the temporo-parietal junction contralateral to painful side. CONCLUSIONS: This study first shows a functional pain-autonomic coupling in patients with CRPS, which could involve a specific S1 region. However, the modulation of sympathetic sudomotor activities expressed by ESC changes was rather correlated with functional changes in other brain regions. Finally, the pain relief observed at one month after rTMS treatment was associated with a reduced activation of the temporo-parietal junction on the side in which rTMS was performed. These findings open perspectives to define new targets or biomarkers for using rTMS to treat CRPS-associated pain. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: The Clinicaltrials.gov registration number for the study is NCT02817880.

Safety and Effectiveness of Stellate Ganglion Cryoablation in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome.

This was a retrospective, observational, descriptive study to evaluate the safety and 6-month effectiveness of percutaneous cryoablation of the stellate ganglion for the treatment of complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). Eight patients with CRPS diagnosed by Budapest criteria were treated with this procedure. CRPS symptom severity was assessed prior to the procedure and at 3-month intervals after the procedure using a novel CRPS scoring system-the Budapest score-created by the authors. The mean Budapest score prior to and 6 months (187 days, SD ± 43) after stellate ganglion cryoablation was 7.0 (SD ± 2.0) (n = 6) and 3.8 (SD ± 2.3) (n = 6), respectively, showing a decrease of 3.2 (SD ± 1.7) (n = 6; P = .006). There were no major adverse events due to the procedure, and there was only 1 minor adverse event. Stellate ganglion cryoablation is a feasible, safe, and minimally invasive procedure that may represent an efficacious adjunct treatment option for select patients with CRPS.

Somatotopic disruption of the functional connectivity of the primary sensorimotor cortex in complex regional pain syndrome type 1.

In complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), the representation area of the affected limb in the primary sensorimotor cortex (SM1) reacts abnormally during sensory stimulation and motor actions. We recorded 3T functional magnetic resonance imaging resting-state data from 17 upper-limb CRPS type 1 patients and 19 healthy control subjects to identify alterations of patients' SM1 function during spontaneous pain and to find out how the spatial distribution of these alterations were related to peripheral symptoms. Seed-based correlations and independent component analyses indicated that patients' upper-limb SM1 representation areas display (i) reduced interhemispheric connectivity, associated with the combined effect of intensity and spatial extent of limb pain, (ii) increased connectivity with the right anterior insula that positively correlated with the duration of CRPS, (iii) increased connectivity with periaqueductal gray matter, and (iv) disengagement from the other parts of the SM1 network. These findings, now reported for the first time in CRPS, parallel the alterations found in patients suffering from other chronic pain conditions or from limb denervation; they also agree with findings in healthy persons who are exposed to experimental pain or have used their limbs asymmetrically. Our results suggest that CRPS is associated with a sustained and somatotopically specific alteration of SM1 function, that has correspondence to the spatial distribution of the peripheral manifestations and to the duration of the syndrome.

Disturbed insular functional connectivity and its clinical implication in patients with complex regional pain syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is characterized by continued amplification of pain intensity. Given the pivotal roles of the insula in the perception and interpretation of pain, we examined insular functional connectivity and its associations with clinical characteristics in patients with CRPS. METHODS: Twenty-one patients with CRPS and 49 healthy controls underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. The seed-to-seed functional connectivity analysis was performed for the bilateral insulae and cognitive control regions including the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) and bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) between the two groups. Correlations between altered functional connectivity and clinical characteristics were assessed in CRPS patients. RESULTS: CRPS patients exhibited lower functional connectivity within the bilateral anterior insulae, between the insular and cognitive control regions (the bilateral anterior/posterior insulae-dACC; the right posterior insula-left DLPFC), as compared with healthy controls at false discovery rate-corrected p < 0.05. In CRPS patients, pain severity was associated negatively with the left-right anterior insular functional connectivity (r = -0.49, p = 0.03), yet positively with the left anterior insula-dACC functional connectivity (r = 0.51, p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: CRPS patients showed lower functional connectivity both within the bilateral anterior insulae and between the insular and cognitive control regions. The current findings may suggest pivotal roles of the insula in dysfunctional pain processing of CRPS patients.

Aberrant sensorimotor coupling and movement planning in complex regional pain syndrome.

ABSTRACT: Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is characterized by inflammation and a failure of multimodal signal integration in the central nervous system (CNS). Central nervous system reorganization might account for sensory deficits, pain, and motor symptoms in CRPS, but it is not clear how motor control is affected by CNS mechanisms. The present study characterized the motor performance and related cortical activity of 16 CRPS patients and 16 control participants during the planning of visually guided unimanual grips, in patients with either the unaffected left or the affected right hand, and investigated resting-state sensorimotor coupling in MRI. Patients started isometric movements further in advance of the "go" cue and earlier than control participants. Even when accounting for this different timing, results showed side-independent overactivation in planning-related sensorimotor regions in CRPS during manual grips and increased functional coupling between those regions at rest. Fear of movement or individual pain scores contributed only marginally to the observed effects. The study suggests that changes in planning-related sensorimotor CNS regions may explain difficulties with force exertion and motor control in CRPS.Perspective : Functional changes in motor planning-related brain regions might indicate that feedback-enhanced functional motor training may be effective for CRPS rehabilitation.

Altered basal ganglia infraslow oscillation and resting functional connectivity in complex regional pain syndrome.

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a painful condition commonly accompanied by movement disturbances and often affects the upper limbs. The basal ganglia motor loop is central to movement, however, non-motor basal ganglia loops are involved in pain, sensory integration, visual processing, cognition, and emotion. Systematic evaluation of each basal ganglia functional loop and its relation to motor and non-motor disturbances in CRPS has not been investigated. We recruited 15 upper limb CRPS and 45 matched healthy control subjects. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, infraslow oscillations (ISO) and resting-state functional connectivity in motor and non-motor basal ganglia loops were investigated using putamen and caudate seeds. Compared to controls, CRPS subjects displayed increased ISO power in the putamen contralateral to the CRPS affected limb, specifically, in contralateral putamen areas representing the supplementary motor area hand, motor hand, and motor tongue. Furthermore, compared to controls, CRPS subjects displayed increased resting connectivity between these putaminal areas as well as from the caudate body to cortical areas such as the primary motor cortex, supplementary and cingulate motor areas, parietal association areas, and the orbitofrontal cortex. These findings demonstrate changes in basal ganglia loop function in CRPS subjects and may underpin motor disturbances of CRPS.

Ultrasound-guided pulsed radiofrequency of the saphenous nerve in a complex regional pain syndrome patient with lower limb pain.

Complex regional pain syndrome is a painful and debilitating syndrome in which the patient presents with disabling pain, edema, and/or vasomotor or sudomotor abnormalities. The mechanism is complex and not well understood. There is no definitive treatment for the condition yet. Pulsed radiofrequency is a minimally invasive, minimal destructive, and safe intervention. It can be used for neuropathic pain. A 40-year-old man with complex regional pain syndrome complained of intractable pain of the lower limb secondary to injury to the saphenous nerve due to a third-degree burn. Conventional medications, epidural block, and sympathetic nerve block provided temporary relief. We performed pulsed radiofrequency of the saphenous nerve for the management of lower limb pain, and the symptoms remained under control at 3 months. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first application of ultrasound-guided pulsed radiofrequency of the saphenous nerve for the management of complex regional pain syndrome.

Neurovascular, Muscle, and Skin Changes on [18F]FDG PET/MRI in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome of the Foot: A Prospective Clinical Study.

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study is to demonstrate the feasibility of simultaneous [18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for noninvasive visualization of muscular, neurovascular, and skin changes secondary to complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). SUBJECTS: Seven adult patients with CRPS of the foot and seven healthy adult controls participated in our [18F]FDG PET/MRI study. METHODS: All participants received whole-body PET/MRI scans 1 hour after the injection of 370MBq [18F]FDG. Resulting PET/MRI images were reviewed by two radiologists. Metabolic and anatomic abnormalities identified, were grouped into muscular, neurovascular, and skin lesions. The [18F]FDG uptake of each lesion was compared with that of corresponding areas in controls using a Mann-Whitney U-test. RESULTS: On PET images, muscular abnormalities were found in five patients, neurovascular abnormalities in four patients, and skin abnormalities in two patients. However, on MRI images, no muscular abnormalities were detected. Neurovascular abnormalities and skin abnormalities in the affected limb were identified on MRI in one and two patients, respectively. The difference in [18F]FDG uptake between the patients and the controls was significant in muscle (P = .018) and neurovascular bundle (P = .0005). CONCLUSIONS: The increased uptake of [18F]FDG in the symptomatic areas likely reflects the increased metabolism due to the inflammatory response causing pain. Therefore, our approach combining metabolic [18F]FDG PET and anatomic MR imaging may offer noninvasive monitoring of the distribution and progression of inflammatory changes associated with CRPS.

A Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Imaging Journal: Case Report.

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) poses a diagnostic and management challenge for many clinicians, particularly when disease symptomatology waxes and wanes. Monitoring symptom variations with digital and infrared thermal images allows for more accurate evaluation of disease progression overtime. We present the case of a patient who developed CRPS and catalog his symptoms using a digital and infrared thermal imaging diary. The images were instrumental toward establishing the initial diagnosis of CRPS, monitoring disease progression, and assessing response to treatment. We discuss the present understanding of infrared thermography in CRPS and advocate for its routine use at the beside.

Attention upturned: Bias toward and away from the affected side of the body and near space in a case of complex regional pain syndrome.

People with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) following limb injury can show neuropsychological symptoms in the absence of observable brain pathologies. These can include sensory changes, distorted body representation, and inattention to their affected limb and its surrounding space, resembling post-stroke hemispatial neglect. The precise nature and mechanisms of these neuropsychological symptoms are unclear, however insights could be gained by testing for dissociations and associations that have been observed in stroke patients. Drawing from clinical and experimental methods for investigating spatial attention bias and related symptoms in stroke patients, we conducted a detailed investigation of neuropsychological symptoms in a woman with CRPS of her left arm who initially presented to us with pronounced inattention to her affected side. The patient showed visual and tactile neglect and extinction on her affected side on confrontation tests, but no attention deficits on "bedside" tests of neglect. On sensitive computer-based measures, attention biases were found in the patient's body and near space (in Temporal Order Judgements), but not far or imagined space (on the Greyscales task and Mental Number Line Bisection). Unique to the current literature, the patient showed a reversal in her Temporal Order Judgement bias across time, from inattention (first and second session) to hyperattention (third session) to her affected side. In contrast, pain and self-reported body representation distortion were similar across the three sessions. The patient had reduced central and peripheral visual acuity, however these deficits were near symmetrical and therefore could not explain her performance on the visual attention tasks. Given that spatial attention bias has been linked to imbalance in relative activation of the two cerebral hemispheres, we administered a Global-Local processing task to test for hemispheric asymmetry. This revealed no difference in global compared to local interference refuting any hemispheric imbalance. Instead, the patient showed impaired performance (compared to controls) on incongruent trials regardless of trial type, consistent with executive impairment. We conclude that spatial attention bias in CRPS can generalize across different sensory modalities and extend beyond the affected limb to the external space around it, independent of any low-level sensory disturbances. This bias is not necessarily directed away from the affected side or stable over time. People with CRPS can also demonstrate more generalized neuropsychological changes in sensory and executive functions. Our observations refute several existing theories about the mechanisms of attention bias in CRPS, and their relationship to pain, and have potential implications for treatment.

Interventional Modalities to Treat Complex Regional Pain Syndrome.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a debilitating pain condition that often requires a multidisciplinary approach including medication, physical therapy, occupational therapy, psychological therapy, and interventional procedures to restore the patient's quality of life. This article reviews the interventional treatments for pain resulting from CRPS. RECENT FINDINGS: Sympathetic nerve blocks (stellate ganglion and lumbar sympathetic) are the first-line interventional treatment options for patients with CRPS of the upper and lower extremities, respectively. Fluoroscopic techniques for lumbar sympathetic blocks have not significantly changed throughout the years. However, both novel fluoroscopic and ultrasound approaches to stellate ganglion blockade have arisen. In addition, novel neuromodulation therapies to treat CRPS have been developed to include new waveforms with dorsal column stimulation and entirely new nerve targets such as dorsal root ganglion stimulation. This paper will review the latest interventional treatment options available for the treatment of CRPS.

Abnormal neuroinflammation in fibromyalgia and CRPS using [11C]-(R)-PK11195 PET.

PURPOSE: Fibromyalgia (FM) and complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) share many pathological mechanisms related to chronic pain and neuroinflammation, which may contribute to the multifactorial pathological mechanisms in both FM and CRPS. The aim of this study was to assess neuroinflammation in FM patients compared with that in patients with CRPS and healthy controls. METHODS: Neuroinflammation was measured as the distribution volume ratio (DVR) of [11C]-(R)-PK11195 positron emission tomography (PET) in 12 FM patients, 11 patients with CRPS and 15 healthy controls. RESULTS: Neuroinflammation in FM patients was significantly higher in the left pre (primary motor cortex) and post (primary somatosensory cortex) central gyri (p < 0.001), right postcentral gyrus (p < 0.005), left superior parietal and superior frontal gyri (p < 0.005), left precuneus (p < 0.01), and left medial frontal gyrus (p = 0.036) compared with healthy controls. Furthermore, the DVR of [11C]-(R)-PK11195 in FM patients demonstrated decreased neuroinflammation in the medulla (p < 0.005), left superior temporal gyrus (p < 0.005), and left amygdala (p = 0.020) compared with healthy controls. CONCLUSIONS: To the authors' knowledge, this report is the first to describe abnormal neuroinflammation levels in the brains of FM patients compared with that in patients with CRPS using [11C]-(R)-PK11195 PET. The results suggested that abnormal neuroinflammation can be an important pathological factor in FM. In addition, the identification of common and different critical regions related to abnormal neuroinflammation in FM, compared with patients with CRPS and healthy controls, may contribute to improved diagnosis and the development of effective medical treatment for patients with FM.

Modifications in fMRI Representation of Mental Rotation Following a 6 Week Graded Motor Imagery Training in Chronic CRPS Patients.

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a neuropathic pain condition that is difficult to treat. For behavioral interventions, graded motor imagery (GMI) showed relevant effects, but underlying neural substrates in patient groups have not been investigated yet. A previous study investigating differences in the representation of a left/right hand judgment task demonstrated less recruitment of subcortical structures, such as the putamen, in CRPS patients than in healthy controls. In healthy volunteers, the putamen activity increased after a hand judgment task training. In order to test for longitudinal effects of GMI training, we investigated 20 CRPS patients in a wait-list crossover design with 3 evaluation time points. Patients underwent a 6 week GMI treatment and a 6 week waiting period in a randomized group assignment and treatment groups were evaluated by a blinded rater. When compared to healthy matched controls at baseline, CRPS patients showed less functional activation in areas processing visual input, left sensorimotor cortex, and right putamen. Only GMI treatment, but not the waiting period showed an effect on movement pain and hand judgment task performance. Regression analyses revealed positive associations of movement pain with left anterior insula activation at baseline. Right intraparietal sulcus activation change during GMI was associated with a gain in performance of the hand judgment task. The design used here is reliable for investigating the functional representation of the hand judgment task in an intervention study. PERSPECTIVE: Twenty chronic CRPS patients underwent a 6 week GMI intervention in a randomized wait-list crossover design. functional MRI was tested pre and post for the hand lateralization task which improved over GMI but not over WAITING. Performance gain was positively related to right parietal functional MRI activation.

Rol de la densitometría ósea como herramienta diagnóstica y de control en el síndrome de dolor regional complejo: reporte de un caso / Role of bone densitometry as a diagnostic and monitoring tool in complex regional pain syndrome: report of a case

El síndrome de dolor regional complejo (SDRC) es una patología poco frecuente, caracterizada por dolor crónico y cambios locales del sitio afectado. Ocurre en forma posterior a un traumatismo, o, menos frecuentemente, sin desencadenante claro. El diagnóstico se realiza de forma clínica, evaluando la presencia de hallazgos típicos detallados en los criterios de Budapest, como el dolor continuo y desproporcionado, y síntomas y signos típicos, como edema, asimetría térmica y disminución del rango de movilidad. Los estudios por imágenes, así como la radiografía, la resonancia magnética o el centellograma óseo de 3 fases, también brindan información valiosa, sobre todo en los casos que se presentan con más dudas, y para realizar diagnóstico diferencial de otras patologías. En este sentido, la medición de la densidad mineral ósea por absorciometría dual de rayos X (DXA) se presenta también como herramienta de utilidad, no solo en la fase diagnóstica, al evidenciar la mayor desmineralización del miembro afectado, sino también en la evaluación de la respuesta terapéutica a bifosfonatos. Presentamos el caso de una paciente con SDRC del miembro inferior, donde la densitometría ósea resultó de gran utilidad en su manejo clínico. (AU)

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a rare pathology, characterized by chronic pain and local changes of the affected site. It occurs after trauma or, less frequently, without a clear trigger. The diagnosis is made clinically, evaluating the presence of typical findings detailed in the Budapest criteria, such as continuous and disproportionate pain, and typical signs and symptoms, like edema, thermal asymmetry, and decreased range of motion. Imaging studies, such as radiography, magnetic resonance imaging, or 3-phase bone scintigraphy also provide valuable information, especially in cases that present with more doubts, and to make a differential diagnosis with other pathologies. In this regard, the measurement of bone mineral density by dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is also a useful tool, not only in the diagnostic phase, by showing the greater demineralization of the affected limb, but also in the evaluation of the therapeutic response to bisphosphonates. We present the case of a patient with CRPS of the lower limb, where bone densitometry was very useful in her clinical management. (AU)

Complex regional pain syndrome and bone marrow oedema syndrome: family ties potentially closer than expected.

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) and bone marrow edema syndrome (BMES) are two rare conditions that are still being discussed. They are generally considered as two distinct entities, yet they share similarities such as a homogeneous bone marrow edema is also often found in the early phase of CRPS. We present the case of a 41-year-old man with CRPS after a foot fracture followed by the development of painful BMES of the ipsilateral knee and hip a few weeks later. The search for another pathology was negative. After pamidronate infusions, the evolution was spectacular: the disappearance of hip pain at 1 month and more than 50% reduction in knee and foot pain at 2 months. At final follow-up (1 year), the patient was asymptomatic. This case reinforces the idea of a possible link between CRPS and BMES probably through similar trabecular bone involvement. Imaging remains useful in diagnosis of CRPS.

Altered resting activity patterns and connectivity in individuals with complex regional pain syndrome.

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a chronic neuropathic pain disorder that typically occurs in the limbs, usually the upper limb. CRPS usually develops from a peripheral event but its maintenance relies on changes within the central nervous system. While functional abnormalities in the thalamus and primary somatosensory cortex (S1) of the brain are some of the most consistently reported brain findings in CRPS, the mechanisms are yet to be explored in full, not least of all how these two regions interact and how they might relate to clinical deficits, such as the commonly reported poor tactile acuity in this condition. This study recruited 15 upper-limb CRPS subjects and 30 healthy controls and used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate infra-slow oscillations (ISOs) in critical pain regions of the brain in CRPS. As hypothesised, we found CRPS was associated with increases in resting signal intensity ISOs (0.03-0.06 Hz) in the thalamus contralateral to the painful limb in CRPS subjects. Interestingly, there was no such difference between groups in S1, however CRPS subjects displayed stronger thalamo-S1 functional connectivity than controls, and this was related to pain. As predicted, CRPS subjects displayed poor tactile acuity on the painful limb which, interestingly, was also related to thalamo-S1 functional connectivity strength. Our findings provide novel evidence of altered patterns of resting activity and connectivity in CRPS which may underlie altered thalamocortical loop dynamics and the constant perception of pain.