IFN- Correlations with Pain Assessment, Radiological Findings, and Clinical Intercourse in Patient after Lumbar Microdiscectomy: Preliminary Study.

Objectives: We investigated the influence of pain decrease after lumbar microdiscectomy on the interferon gamma (IFN-) serum level in patients with lumbar disc herniations. The study challenges the mechanism of sciatica pain and the role of IFN- in radicular pain development. . We performed clinical and immunoenzymatic assessment in a group of 27 patients with lumbar radicular pain due to disc herniations before and 3 months after surgery. Clinical status was assessed with the use of the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), the Pain Rating Index and Pain Intensity Index of McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ), the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). The plasma concentrations of IFN- were ascertained by an immunoenzymatic method.

Results: We observe significant correlations between the results of the pain in the back region assessment NRS back scale after the surgery with the level of IFN- before the procedure ( = 0.528; = 0.008) and after the procedure ( = 0.455; = 0.025). These are moderate and positive correlations-the decrease in pain is correlated with the lower IFN- level. Additionally, there are significant correlations between the results of the PRI scale and the IFN- level. The PRI score before surgery correlates positively with IFN- after surgery ( = 0.462; = 0.023), and the PRI score after surgery correlates positively with IFN before surgery ( = 0.529; = 0.005) and after surgery ( = 0.549; = 0.003). All correlations are moderate in severity-severe pain before surgery correlates with a higher level of IFN- after surgery and also higher IFN- before surgery. There were significant differences in the IFN- level before ( = -2.733; = 0.006) and after ( = -2.391; = 0.017) surgery in the groups of patients with and without nerve compression. In the group of patients with nerve compression, the level of IFN- before and after surgery was lower.

Conclusions: Less pain ratio after operation correlates with the level of IFN-. In the group of patients without significant nerve compression confirmed by MRI scans, the level of IFN- before and after surgery was higher than that in the group with nerve root compression.