The following is a summary of “Distribution of Nerve Fibers in Abdominal Wall Endometriosis and Their Clinical Significance,” published in the April 2024 issue of Pain by Zang et al.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study investigating the distribution of nerve fibers in abdominal wall endometriosis (AWE) and analyzed their potential connection to pain perception.
They involved 30 patients diagnosed with AWE, while the control group included 17 patients who had laparotomy without endometriosis history. The clinical characteristics were analyzed mainly, and innervation patterns were examined in samples using stains for S-100, neuron-specific enolase (NSE), protein gene product 9.5 (PGP9.5), neurofilament (NF), and substance P (SP) antibodies.
The results showed a significant increase in the density of S-100, NSE, and PGP9.5 immunoreactive nerve fibers and a higher proportion of SP positivity in AWE lesions than standard abdominal wall scars (P<0.05). However, there were no notable differences in the density or proportion of NF-immunoreactive nerve fibers between the cases and the controls. Additionally, no statistically significant correlation was observed between the density of S-100, NSE, PGP9.5, NF, or SP-positive nerve fibers and pain scores.
Investigators discovered a compelling finding: a higher density of nerve fibers in AWE lesions than normal scars, potentially indicating a connection to pain. The significant result underscores the need for further research to comprehend the intricate pain mechanisms in endometriosis fully.
