The journal of pain : official journal of the American Pain Society
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The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between pain symptoms, daily functioning, health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and subjectively reported sleep disturbances in adolescents with chronic pain. Depressive symptoms were tested as a general risk factor for increased sleep problems. During routine subspecialty clinic visits, 86 adolescents (mean age, 14.75 years; 67% female) diagnosed with chronic headaches, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, or sickle cell disease completed measures to assess pain, sleep disturbances, functional disability, depression, and HRQOL. ⋯ Sleep disturbances have been described in adult patients with chronic pain, but little is known about sleep in adolescents with chronic pain. This study examined the complex interrelationship between sleep, pain, mood, functioning, and HRQOL. Findings suggest that mood is strongly related to sleep and might share common pathophysiologic or behavioral origins in adolescents with chronic pain.
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The present series of experiments examined whether the complement cascade might play a key role in the expression of mechanical allodynia. Soluble complement receptor 1 (sCR1) was used to block the activation of the membrane attack pathway of the complement cascade. In doing so, sCR1 prevents the formation of the biologically active end products C3a, C5a, and membrane attack complexes (MACs). ⋯ The mechanisms whereby complement activation might potentially affect the functioning of microglia, astrocytes, and neurons are discussed. The complement cascade has not been previously implicated in spinal sensitization. These data suggest that complement activation within the spinal cord might contribute to enhanced pain states and provide additional evidence for immune regulation of pain transmission.