Effect of pregabalin in preventing secondary damage in traumatic brain injury: an experimental study.

BACKGROUND: In this study we aimed to explore the effects of pregabalin on a traumatic brain injury model in rats. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study included 40 adult male Sprague-Dawley rats randomized into 4 groups, each of which contained equal numbers of animals. The control group had no head trauma and thus was not treated. The trauma group had head trauma but was not treated. The pregabalin group had no head trauma but was treated by pregabalin. The trauma + pregabalin group had head trauma treated with pregabalin. The biopsy samples taken from the study animals were histopathologically examined for the presence of edema, inflammation, and neuronal damage. RESULTS: All animals in the trauma group had edema, inflammation, and neuronal damage. Four subjects in the control group, 6 in the pregabalin group, and 4 in the trauma + pregabalin group had edema; inflammation was present in 1 subject in the control group, 3 subjects in the pregabalin group, and 3 subjects in the trauma + pregabalin group; neuronal damage existed in 1 subject in the control group, 1 subject in the pregabalin group, and 6 subjects in the trauma+pregabalin group. The trauma group had significantly higher edema and neuronal damage scores than the other groups. Similarly, inflammation was significantly more prevalent in the trauma group than the control and trauma+pregabalin groups. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study indicated anti-edema, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective effects of pregabalin in an experimental head trauma model in rats. Pregabalin may thus be beneficial in humans with acute TBI by relieving concomitant edema and inflammation.

The relation of matrix metalloproteinase 1, 2, 3 expressions with clinical and radiological findings in primary and recurrent lumbar disc herniations.

AIM: In this study, our aim was to examine if matrix metalloproteinase expressions (MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-3) in patients operated with a lumbar disc hernia diagnosis are different in terms of clinical and neuroradiological findings. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 80 patients treated with micro discectomy for lumbar disc hernia. Degeneration was scored via magnetic resonance (MR) images. MMP-1, MMP-2, and MMP-3 antibodies were used for immunohistochemical evaluation of degenerated disc materials. MMP expressions were compared between primary and recurrent cases, and correlation analysis was conducted. RESULTS: Discectomy material showed higher expression of MMP-1 and MMP-3 in cases of recurrent lumbar disc herniation than in primary herniation. There was no significant relationship between MMP expression and MR degeneration score. CONCLUSION: MMP-1 and MMP-3 expressions were significantly higher in recurrent cases in terms of magnetic resonance degeneration score. We assume that the higher co-expression of MMP-1 and MMP-3 might be used in targeted treatment regiemens in patients with recurrent LDH.