Evidence mapPaperPMID 40075262Full record

ArticleMolecular medicine (Cambridge, Mass.)2025

Identification of two biological subgroups of complex regional pain syndrome type 1 by transcriptomic profiling of skin and blood in women.

Melina Pérez Vertti Valdés, Astrid Jüngel, Pamela Bitterli, Jan Devan, Hubert Rehrauer, Lennart Opitz, Laura Sirucek, Petra Schweinhardt, Sabrina Catanzaro, Oliver Distler and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Molecular medicine (Cambridge, Mass.), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

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0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Melina Pérez Vertti ValdésCenter of Experimental Rheumatology, Balgrist Campus, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Lengghalde 8, 8008, Zurich, Switzerland.
Astrid JüngelCenter of Experimental Rheumatology, Balgrist Campus, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Lengghalde 8, 8008, Zurich, Switzerland.
Pamela BitterliCenter of Experimental Rheumatology, Balgrist Campus, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Lengghalde 8, 8008, Zurich, Switzerland. pamela.bitterli@balgrist.ch.
Jan DevanCenter of Experimental Rheumatology, Balgrist Campus, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Lengghalde 8, 8008, Zurich, Switzerland.
Hubert RehrauerFunctional Genomics Center Zurich, ETH Zurich and University of Zurich, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland.
Lennart OpitzFunctional Genomics Center Zurich, ETH Zurich and University of Zurich, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland.
Laura SirucekDepartment of Chiropractic Medicine, Integrative Spinal Research Group, Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Petra SchweinhardtDepartment of Chiropractic Medicine, Integrative Spinal Research Group, Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Sabrina CatanzaroUnit of Clinical and Applied Research, Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, Switzerland, Zurich, Switzerland.
Oliver DistlerCenter of Experimental Rheumatology, Balgrist Campus, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Lengghalde 8, 8008, Zurich, Switzerland.
Florian Brunner *Department of Physical Medicine and Rheumatology, Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Stefan Dudli *Center of Experimental Rheumatology, Balgrist Campus, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Lengghalde 8, 8008, Zurich, Switzerland.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPatients with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) present prolonged, debilitating pain and functional impairment. Treatments are not disease-modifying due to the poorly understood underlying pathomechanisms. This study aimed to identify the molecular signatures of potential CRPS type 1 subgroups.

methodsTwelve women with CRPS type 1 were included. Demographics and pain questionnaires were recorded. Skin biopsies of the affected and non-affected limbs (n = 6 + 6) and peripheral blood (n = 11) were collected. RNA sequencing was performed on skin and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Twenty cytokines were quantified in blood plasma (n = 12).

resultsCluster analysis of the affected skin identified two CRPS subgroups (SG). SG1 exhibited increased gene expression related to epidermal development, metabolic processes, and a greater abundance of keratinocytes. SG2 showed enhanced transcriptomic changes in inflammatory, immune, and fibrotic processes, along with higher abundance of fibroblasts, macrophages, and endothelial cells. PBMCs transcriptomics revealed the same SG1/SG2 clusters and highlighted a stronger inflammatory response in the blood of SG1, suggesting distinct tissue-specific immune responses for the subgroups. Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) levels were higher in the blood plasma of SG1 (FDR = 0.01), consistent with its encoding gene IL1RN expression in PBMCs (log2 FC = 1.10, P < 0.001) and affected skin (log2 FC = 0.88, P = 0.006). Subgroups did not differ in demographic or clinical parameters but correlations among clinical factors varied between them.

conclusionsThis study identified two potential biological subgroups of CRPS type 1 in women through skin and blood transcriptomic profiling, advancing the understanding of this condition. This could facilitate the development of targeted treatments for CRPS type 1.

Indexed as

Gene Expression ProfilingReflex Sympathetic DystrophySkinTranscriptomeAdultBiomarkersCytokinesFemaleHumansLeukocytes, MononuclearMiddle AgedBiomarkersCytokinesChronic painComplex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)Cytokine quantificationPeripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs)RNA-seq

Identifiers

PMID40075262
PMCPMC11900654

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.