Highlights
- •Rats were subjected to repeated whole-body vibration at 8 Hz or 11 Hz.
- •Serum nerve growth factor concentration increased more following vibration at 8 Hz.
- •Increased nerve growth factor did not result in intervertebral disc degeneration.
- •Nerve growth factor could be used to diagnose low back pain from whole-body vibration.
Abstract
Background
Low back pain is a leading cause of disability and is frequently associated with whole-body
vibration exposure in industrial workers and military personnel. While the pathophysiological
mechanisms by which whole-body vibration causes low back pain have been studied in
vivo, there is little data to inform low back pain diagnosis. Using a rat model of
repetitive whole-body vibration followed by recovery, our objective was to determine
the effects of vibration frequency on hind paw withdrawal threshold, circulating nerve
growth factor concentration, and intervertebral disc degeneration.
Methods
Male Sprague-Dawley rats were vibrated for 30 min at an 8 Hz or 11 Hz frequency every
other day for two weeks and then recovered (no vibration) for one week. Von Frey was
used to determine hind paw mechanical sensitivity every two days. Serum nerve growth
factor concentration was determined every four days. At the three-week endpoint, intervertebral
discs were graded histologically for degeneration.
Findings
The nerve growth factor concentration increased threefold in the 8 Hz group and twofold
in the 11 Hz group. The nerve growth factor concentration did not return to baseline
by the end of the one-week recovery period for the 8 Hz group. Nerve growth factor
serum concentration did not coincide with intervertebral disc degeneration, as no
differences in degeneration were observed among groups. Mechanical sensitivity generally
decreased over time for all groups, suggesting a habituation (desensitization) effect.
Interpretation
This study demonstrates the potential of nerve growth factor as a diagnostic biomarker
for low back pain due to whole-body vibration.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: November 17, 2022
Accepted:
November 15,
2022
Received:
May 11,
2022
Identification
Copyright
© 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
