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Inflammatory biomarkers in serum in subjects with and without work related neck/shoulder complaints

Matute Wilander, Anna LU ; Kåredal, Monica LU orcid ; Axmon, Anna LU orcid and Nordander, Catarina LU orcid (2014) In BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 15.
Abstract
Background: Although it has recently been recognised that inflammation is important in the development of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), the exact pathophysiological pathways are unknown. Methods: We investigated serum concentrations of inflammatory cytokines in 35 female supermarket cashiers with repetitive work tasks and work related neck/shoulder complaints, compared with those from 25 women without MSDs (6 supermarket cashiers and 19 middle-school teachers or faculty staff). None of the subjects were pregnant or lactating, and showed no signs of rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, cancer, diabetes, coronary artery disease or inadequately controlled hypertension. Serum levels of IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta,... (More)
Background: Although it has recently been recognised that inflammation is important in the development of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), the exact pathophysiological pathways are unknown. Methods: We investigated serum concentrations of inflammatory cytokines in 35 female supermarket cashiers with repetitive work tasks and work related neck/shoulder complaints, compared with those from 25 women without MSDs (6 supermarket cashiers and 19 middle-school teachers or faculty staff). None of the subjects were pregnant or lactating, and showed no signs of rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, cancer, diabetes, coronary artery disease or inadequately controlled hypertension. Serum levels of IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, MCP-1, MIP-1 alpha, MIP-1 beta, TNF-alpha, GM-CSF, CTGF and CRP were analysed. Results: The women with pain related to MSD had higher serum concentrations of MIP-1 beta (median, 25th-75th percentile: 90.0 pg/mL, 62.5-110 vs. 73.1 pg/mL, 54.6-88.3; p = 0.018), IL-12 (0.26 pg/mL, 0.26-0.26 vs. 0.26 pg/mL, 0.26-0.26; p = 0.047) and CRP (0.5 mg/L, 0.5-1.6 vs. 0.5 mg/L, 0.5-0.5; p = 0.003), than control subjects. Levels of MIP-1 alpha, MIP-1 beta and CRP were correlated with the reported intensity of neck/shoulder pain (r = 0.29, p = 0.03 for MIP-1 alpha; r = 0.29, p = 0.02 for MIP-1 beta and r = 0.43, p = 0.001 for CRP). No statistically significant differences in serum levels were found for the remaining cytokines. Conclusions: Otherwise healthy females with ongoing work-related neck/shoulder pain showed higher serum concentrations of MIP-1 beta, IL-12 and CRP than controls, and the levels of MIP-1 alpha, MIP-1 beta and CRP were correlated to pain intensity. These results support previous findings that inflammatory processes play a part in work related MSDs. (Less)
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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Work related, Musculoskeletal disorders, Inflammation, Biomarker, Cytokine
in
BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders
volume
15
article number
103
publisher
BioMed Central (BMC)
external identifiers
  • wos:000335183000004
  • scopus:84897996198
  • pmid:24669872
ISSN
1471-2474
DOI
10.1186/1471-2474-15-103
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
e729a76f-169f-4927-beb0-632ab4459f63 (old id 4487380)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 14:48:47
date last changed
2022-01-28 02:36:54
@article{e729a76f-169f-4927-beb0-632ab4459f63,
  abstract     = {{Background: Although it has recently been recognised that inflammation is important in the development of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), the exact pathophysiological pathways are unknown. Methods: We investigated serum concentrations of inflammatory cytokines in 35 female supermarket cashiers with repetitive work tasks and work related neck/shoulder complaints, compared with those from 25 women without MSDs (6 supermarket cashiers and 19 middle-school teachers or faculty staff). None of the subjects were pregnant or lactating, and showed no signs of rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, cancer, diabetes, coronary artery disease or inadequately controlled hypertension. Serum levels of IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, MCP-1, MIP-1 alpha, MIP-1 beta, TNF-alpha, GM-CSF, CTGF and CRP were analysed. Results: The women with pain related to MSD had higher serum concentrations of MIP-1 beta (median, 25th-75th percentile: 90.0 pg/mL, 62.5-110 vs. 73.1 pg/mL, 54.6-88.3; p = 0.018), IL-12 (0.26 pg/mL, 0.26-0.26 vs. 0.26 pg/mL, 0.26-0.26; p = 0.047) and CRP (0.5 mg/L, 0.5-1.6 vs. 0.5 mg/L, 0.5-0.5; p = 0.003), than control subjects. Levels of MIP-1 alpha, MIP-1 beta and CRP were correlated with the reported intensity of neck/shoulder pain (r = 0.29, p = 0.03 for MIP-1 alpha; r = 0.29, p = 0.02 for MIP-1 beta and r = 0.43, p = 0.001 for CRP). No statistically significant differences in serum levels were found for the remaining cytokines. Conclusions: Otherwise healthy females with ongoing work-related neck/shoulder pain showed higher serum concentrations of MIP-1 beta, IL-12 and CRP than controls, and the levels of MIP-1 alpha, MIP-1 beta and CRP were correlated to pain intensity. These results support previous findings that inflammatory processes play a part in work related MSDs.}},
  author       = {{Matute Wilander, Anna and Kåredal, Monica and Axmon, Anna and Nordander, Catarina}},
  issn         = {{1471-2474}},
  keywords     = {{Work related; Musculoskeletal disorders; Inflammation; Biomarker; Cytokine}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{BioMed Central (BMC)}},
  series       = {{BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders}},
  title        = {{Inflammatory biomarkers in serum in subjects with and without work related neck/shoulder complaints}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/4183689/5268119}},
  doi          = {{10.1186/1471-2474-15-103}},
  volume       = {{15}},
  year         = {{2014}},
}