Associations Between Skin Autofluorescence, Advanced Glycation End-Products and Chronic Low Back Pain

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine whether advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) measured by skin autofluorescence (SAF) can serve as a biomarker for chronic low back pain. 111 patients who visited the outpatient clinic were included in this prospective cohort study. They were divided into a chronic low back pain group (C group: 48 patients, mean age 52.2) and a group without low back pain (N group: 63 healthy volunteers, mean age 40.8). SAF was measured as a parameter of AGEs using an autofluorescence reader. Measurements of low back pain visual analog scale (VAS), presence of diabetes, and SAF were recorded, and correlations between VAS or diabetes and SAF were investigated. Results: The C group had significantly higher SAF (2.20 vs 1.97, p<0.05) than the N group, whereas the SAF for diabetes patients was significantly higher (2.7 vs 2.1, p<0.05) than subjects without diabetes. SAF had no correlation with VAS (P=0.18). SAF is an indicator of AGE accumulation correlated with chronic low back pain and diabetes.

Relationship Between Clinical Symptoms and Skin Autofluorescence in Hemodialysis Patients as a Measure of Advanced Glycation End-Product Accumulation

“…High serum levels of pentosidine, a representative product of AGEs, are associated with the severity of spinal malalignment in older women, suggesting that high levels of AGEs are a potential biomarker of the progression of lumbar scoliosis and kyphotic deformity [ 20 ]. Umimura et al demonstrated that AGE levels, as determined by SAF measurements, were significantly higher in patients with chronic LBP, suggesting that SAF can be used as an indicator of chronic LBP [ 14 ].…”

“…Umimura et al reported an association between SAF and chronic low back pain (LBP). Thus, SAF may be an indicator of chronic LBP [ 14 ].…”