Correlation Of Inflammatory Cytokines With Radicular Pain After Lumbar Intervertebral Disc Protrusion

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the correlation of inflammatory cytokines with radicular pain after lumbar intervertebral disc protrusion. The degree of radicular pain was quantified and digitized in order to guide clinical drug dose and treatment, and better evaluate curative effects. Methods: A total of 20 patients with lumbar intervertebral disc protrusion, from October 2016 to October 2017, who met inclusion criteria were selected as the observation group. Observation group was further divided into bulging type (Observation Group A, n=6), protrusion type (Observation Group B, n=9), and sequestration type (Observation Group C, n=5), based on results of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) examinations. A total of 20 normal subjects were collected as the control group. Venous blood was collected after admission, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect expression levels of inflammatory cytokines [interleukin-1 (IL-1), IL-6, IL-18, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha], and visual analogue scale (VAS) scoring was used to evaluate the degree of radicular pain in each group. Analyses were employed to study the correlation of expression levels of IL-1, IL-6, IL-18, and TNF-alpha with VAS scores. Results: Compared to those in the control group, expression levels of inflammatory cytokines in Group A, Group B, and Group C were significantly increased (P<0.05). Compared to Group A, Group B and Group C had obviously elevated expression levels of inflammatory cytokines (P<0.05). Expression levels of inflammatory cytokines in Group C were significantly higher than those in Group B (P<0.05). Compared to the control group, VAS scores in Group A, Group B, and Group C were significantly increased (P<0.05). Compared to Group A, Group B and Group C were found with obviously elevating VAS scores, while the differences were of statistical significance (P<0.05). VAS scores in Group C were significantly higher than that in Group B (P<0.05). Expression levels of IL-1, IL-6, IL-18, and TNF-alpha after lumbar intervertebral disc protrusion were positively correlated with radicular pain. Conclusion: Expression levels of inflammatory cytokines (IL-1, IL-6, IL-18, and TNF-alpha) in the venous blood of patients with lumbar intervertebral disc protrusion are higher than those in normal people, as the lumbar intervertebral disc protrusion aggravated, and positively correlated with radicular pain. These can be used as indexes to reflect the degree of radicular pain. Quantification and digitization of radicular pain are helpful in guiding the clinical drug dose and treatment, as well as better evaluating curative effects.