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Evoked human oesophageal hyperalgesia: a potential tool for analgesic evaluation?
Anne Estrup Olesen1, Camilla Staahl, Christina Brock
1Department of Gastroenterology, Aalborg Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark.
Basic & Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology
|May 9, 2009
Summary
A new experimental model using acid and capsaicin effectively induced visceral hypersensitivity in the esophagus. This model shows promise for developing and testing new pain relief medications for visceral disorders.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Pain Research
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Visceral hypersensitivity is common in visceral disorders.
- Developing effective analgesics requires accurate experimental pain models.
- Existing models may not fully replicate clinical visceral pain scenarios.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce and validate a novel experimental model for esophageal visceral hyperalgesia.
- To assess the model's reliability and reproducibility in healthy volunteers.
- To evaluate the model's utility in future pharmacological studies.
Main Methods:
- A randomized, double-blind, cross-over study involving 15 healthy volunteers.
- Esophageal sensory assessments (mechanical, heat, electrical stimuli) before and after perfusion with acid+capsaicin or saline.
- Evaluation of esophageal pain and referred pain areas.
Main Results:
- Acid+capsaicin perfusion significantly reduced pain thresholds to heat (56%) and electrical stimuli (19%).
- It also increased referred pain areas to mechanical (78%) and electrical stimuli (52%).
- All participants demonstrated sensitization to at least one stimulus modality.
Conclusions:
- The acid+capsaicin model consistently evokes esophageal hyperalgesia.
- This model offers a valuable tool for future research on visceral pain and analgesic development.
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