Department of Family Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Kyungpook National University Chilgok Hospital, Daegu, South Korea.
Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Kyungpook National University Hospital, 680 Gukchaebosang-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu, 41944, South Korea.
Sci Rep. 2024 Jul 6;14(1):15612. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-66444-9.
Pain is one of many complaints expressed by patients with diabetic polyneuropathy. However, no objective measure for pain severity has been available. Neurofilament light chains have been widely used for assessing axonal damage in the neuronal system. Hence, we sought to investigate whether neurofilament light chains can serve as a marker reflecting pain severity in diabetic polyneuropathy. We enrolled the patients with diabetic polyneuropathy. Serum concentrations of neurofilament light chain were then measured using a single-molecule array. Pain severity was evaluated using painDETECT and the Brief Pain Inventory. Moreover, laboratory results including, serum creatinine, HbA1c, and glomerular filtration rate. A correlation test was used to analyze each variable. A total of 42 patients were enrolled. Neurofilament light chain levels were unable to reflect current neuropathic pain severity. However, high levels of neurofilament light chain were a significant predictor of poor diabetes control (r = 0.41; p = 0.02) and kidney damage (r = 0.45; p = 0.01). Serum levels of neurofilament light chain could not reflect current pain severity but was strongly associated with kidney dysfunction and poor diabetes control. Other biomarkers that could predict pain severity need to be uncovered.
疼痛是糖尿病多发性神经病患者表达的众多抱怨之一。然而，一直没有客观的疼痛严重程度衡量标准。神经丝轻链已广泛用于评估神经元系统中的轴突损伤。因此，我们试图研究神经丝轻链是否可以作为反映糖尿病多发性神经病疼痛严重程度的标志物。我们招募了糖尿病多发性神经病患者。然后使用单分子阵列测量血清神经丝轻链浓度。使用疼痛 DETECT 和简明疼痛量表评估疼痛严重程度。此外，实验室结果包括血清肌酐、HbA1c 和肾小球滤过率。使用相关测试分析每个变量。共纳入 42 例患者。神经丝轻链水平无法反映当前的神经性疼痛严重程度。然而，神经丝轻链水平高是糖尿病控制不良（r=0.41；p=0.02）和肾脏损伤（r=0.45；p=0.01）的显著预测指标。血清神经丝轻链水平不能反映当前的疼痛严重程度，但与肾功能障碍和糖尿病控制不良密切相关。需要发现其他可以预测疼痛严重程度的生物标志物。
