Subjective health complaints in patients with lumbar radicular pain and disc herniation are associated with a sex - OPRM1 A118G polymorphism interaction: a prospective 1-year observational study

Abstract

BackgroundEarlier observations show that development of persistent pain may be associated with the genetic variability in the gene encoding for the μ-opioid receptor 1, the OPRM1 A118G (rs1799971). The aim of this study was to investigate the association between OPRM1 genotype and subjective health complaints in patients with radicular pain and disc herniation.MethodsA prospective, 1-year observational study was conducted at a hospital back clinic, including 118 Caucasian patients with lumbar radicular pain and MRI confirmed disc herniation. Single nucleotide polymorphism genotyping regarding the OPRM1 A118G was performed. The data of individuals with AA versus AG or GG were analysed separately by linear mixed models. The Subjective Health Complaints Inventory (0-81) including 27 common complaints experienced the previous month on a scale from not at all (0) to severe (3) was used as outcome. Pain, prior duration of leg pain, age, smoking status, and lumbar disc surgery were considered as covariates.ResultsIn total 23 of 118 patients were carriers of the OPRM1 G-allele. All patients except female carriers of the G-allele reported a decrease in pain from baseline to 1 year. Female carriers of the G-allele reported significantly higher subjective health complaints score during the study time span than male carriers of the G-allele when controlling for pain and pain duration.ConclusionThe present data indicate that, when controlling for pain intensity and duration, subjective health complaints are associated with a sex - OPRM1 A118G polymorphism interaction in patients with radicular pain.

Genes associated with persistent lumbar radicular pain; a systematic review

“…Two studies reported a positive association between the OPRM1 SNP rs179971 and poor recovery of pain in women with LRP [20, 21]. These data support the previous observation that some individuals, in particular in females, carrying the ORPM1 G allele have increased pain sensitivity [47, 48].…”

“…Olsen et al [20] and Hasvik et al [21] demonstrated that a genetic variant, OPRMI rs1799971 SNP, in the gene encoding OPRM1 receptor is associated with both pain and subjective health in LRP patients. The OPRM1 rs1799971 G allele increased the pain score in women, but reduced the pain score in men.…”

“…Several previous studies demonstrate a link between genetic variability in the gene encoding opioid receptor mu 1 (OPRM1) and LRP [20, 21]. Earlier reviews, for example Diatchenko et al [22], highlight that genetic factors related to the enzyme catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) affect cortical pain processing and the risk of chronic LBP.…”

Sex differences in acute hormonal and subjective response to naltrexone: The impact of menstrual cycle phase

“…Furthermore, many studies have examined genetic influences on naltrexone responsitivity, particularly variation in the mu opioid receptor gene (OPRM1; Anton et al, 2008; Chamorro et al, 2012; Ray et al, 2010). Despite numerous studies of this relationship, as well as several reports that hormonal response naloxone is affected by OPRM1 (Chong et al, 2005; Hernandez-Avila et al, 2003; 2007) or that sex may mediate OPRM1 effects on pain responsivity and drug reinforcement (Fillingim et al, 2005; Hasvik et al, 2014; Ray et al, 2006), only a few laboratory studies have explored sex by OPRM1 effects on response to naltrexone, with mixed results (Ray et al, 2006; Setiawan et al, 2011). As such, future studies examining the relationship between OPRM1 or other genetic variants and naltrexone response should consider sex as a variable in their design.…”

Restless Legs Syndrome and Pain Disorders: What’s in common?

“…This modulation is probably found in the context of chronic pain and functional diseases. Therefore, the perception itself, tolerance and the emotional response to pain, are also associated to this "central modulation" along with gene expression and a particular environment (e.g., proteins acting at any point of the pain process like the periphery, the spinal cord or central nervous system) [34,35]. Accordingly, subjective perception of pain may sometimes arise from a normally painless stimulus.…”