Blocking TNF-α in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Type I: A Case of Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Resolved with Etanercept in a Patient with Ankylosing Spondylitis

摘要

Complex regional pain syndrome type I (CRPS1) is apainful clinical condition that may develop mostly as a resultof trauma affecting the limbs. Hyperalgesia, allodynia,spontaneous pain, and autonomic disturbances alongwith swelling and impairment of motor functions are thehallmarks. Ultimately, this syndrome may lead to disability.Although many different kinds of treatments have beentried, the success of these treatments has been limited.Inflammatory signs appear especially in the early andmid-stages of the disease. These findings may favor theuse of new treatment modalities including the use of newgeneration medicines like monoclonal antibodies in thetreatment of CRPS. In this article, we report the completeresolution of CRPS1 with the TNF-a-blocker etanercept ina 62-year-old female patient with ankylosing spondylitis.