Immunoreactive Substance P Is Decreased in Saliva of Patients with Chronic Back Pain Syndromes

Abstract

Substance P, a neuropeptide associated with pain perception, is widely distributed in the central nervous system and is decreased in the cerebrospinal fluid of chronic pain patients as compared with that of healthy human volunteers. In this study, we have demonstrated the presence of immunoreactive substance P in saliva and further, that both saliva and plasma levels of immunoreactive substance P are lower in patients with chronic low back pain than in healthy human volunteers. To our knowledge, this is the first time that substance P has been identified in human saliva. These findings, together with the noninvasive nature of saliva collection, suggest that substance P in saliva may be useful as an alternative neurochemical correlate of chronic low back pain when collection of cerebrospinal fluid and plasma samples for substance P analysis is unacceptable or inappropriate.

Effects of traditional Thai massage versus joint mobilization on substance P and pain perception in patients with non-specific low back pain

“…The results of this study are consistent with much research into substance P levels in pain conditions: they are higher than in the normal range (for example in chronic low back pain (Parris et al, 1990), migraine and tension headaches (Marukawa et al, 1996) and fibromyalgia) (Fields et al, 2002). Our results were in agreement with Field's et al (2002): that substance P levels are reduced after massage.…”

“…Substance P appears to play a role in chronic back pain (Parris et al, 1990) and arthritis (Levine et al, 1984). There is growing awareness that the knowledge of substance P may help to develop new methods to treat pain.…”

“…It can be expected that the development of drugs and interventions aimed at the modulation of substance P will be able to help treatment of pain from these diseases. Many studies used the level of substance P in saliva to indicate the level of pain (Fields et al, 2002;Parris et al, 1990;Marukawa et al, 1996) in many chronic pain conditions, because the amount of substance P is significantly greater in saliva than in plasma. Also, the noninvasive nature of saliva collection suggested that substance P in saliva may be useful as an alternative neurochemical correlation with chronic low back pain (Parris et al, 1990).…”

Hypersensitivity to Substance P in the Etiology of Postlumbar Puncture Headache

“…Patients with chronic back pain syndromes have been found to have decreased salivary SP levels. 11 The low baseline levels of SP in chronic pain conditions and headache may reflect a "hypersensitive" state. Pain may then be triggered by release of SP from nociceptive neurons, or may be mediated through serotonin receptor supersensitivity.…”

Intravenous Administration of Substance P Attenuates Mechanical Allodynia Following Nerve Injury by Regulating Neuropathic Pain-Related Factors

“…Interestingly, among patients with diabetes, one of the clinical groups at risk for neuropathic pain, showed lower serum levels of SP than healthy volunteers (Wang et al ., 2012). In addition, patients with chronic lower back pain have significantly reduced salivary and plasma levels of immunoreactive SP compared to healthy volunteers (Parris et al ., 1990). Injection (i.v.)…”