Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
NEUROCHEMICAL JOURNAL, cilt.19, sa.3, ss.498-507, 2025 (SCI-Expanded)
We aimed to compare preoperative and postoperative plasma levels of neuroinflammatory neuropeptides in the patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH) and to evaluate their possible relationship in radicular pain due to LDH. Thirty patients with single level lumbar disc herniation and sciatalgia and 30 healthy controls were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Plasma levels of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide 38 (PACAP-38), vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and substance P (SP) in the pre- and post-operative periods of patients and healthy controls were determined by ELISA. Visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to assess pain intensity. Preoperative plasma levels of CGRP, SP, VIP and PACAP38 were significantly increased compared to the control group (p < 0.001). On the other hand, plasma CGRP, SP and VIP levels of the patients were significantly decreased in the post-operative period compared to the pre-operative period (p < 0.001). Plasma PACAP38 level in the post-operative period was significantly increased compared to the preoperative period (p < 0.001). There was no correlation between preoperative and postoperative VAS pain scores and plasma levels of CGRP, SP, PACAP-38 and VIP (P > 0.05). Our findings suggest that CGRP, SP, and VIP, which exhibit elevated plasma levels before surgery and decreased levels after surgery, have a key role in neuroinflammation resulting from nerve root compression in LDH. These neuropeptides may be promising targets in monitoring disease progression and postoperative recovery in the patients with LDH.