Background: Sympathetic dysfunction in reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD) has been purported to consist of an afferently-induced increase in efferent sympathetic nerve impulses (somato-sympathetic reflex) and/or denervation-induced supersensitivity to catecholamines. In addition, both the central and peripheral nervous systems have been claimed to be involved. It was the aim of this study to obtain more insights into these underlying mechanisms.
Methods: In the affected extremeties of 42 patients with RSD we investigated as indirect measures of sympathetic (dys)function: (1) skin blood flow and the vasoconstrictive response to dependency of skin microvessels by means of laser Doppler flowmetry (distal to the site of trauma), (2) relative distention of the brachial artery and changes in relative distention consequent to a cold pressor test by means of ultrasonic vessel wall tracking (proximal to the site of trauma), and (3) arterial blood pressures by means of the Finapres technique. Both provocation tests induce a sympathetically mediated response. Patients were divided into three categories according to their perception of skin temperature in their injured limb (stage I, stationary warmth sensation; stage II, intermittent warmth and cold sensation; or stage III, stationary cold sensation).
Results: Distal to the site of trauma, when compared with controls, skin blood flow was increased at stage I and decreased at stages II and III, whereas the vasoconstrictive response to dependency was impaired at all three stages. Proximally, when compared with controls, relative distention of the brachial artery and its response to the cold pressor test were decreased at all three stages. No differences were observed in pulse pressure between patient groups and controls.
Conclusions: These results suggest that sympathetic dysfunction in extremities of patients with RSD distal to the site of trauma consists of hypersensitivity to catecholamines at stages II and III as a result of autonomic denervation at stage I, whereas proximal to the site of trauma sympathetic nerve impulses may be increased at all three stages.