Biomarkers for Pain in Spinal Cord Injury Patients

You may be eligible if

• A. Chronic Patients
• Inclusion:
• 1\. Two or more years post traumatic SCI with deficit
• Exclusion:
• 1. \< 18 years of age
• 2. Evidence of brain injury on computed tomography (CT) (SCI patients need to be able to comply with completing the pain survey)
• 3. Other medical condition that accounts for chronic pain (i.e. diabetic neuropathy, renal insufficiency, multiple sclerosis, HIV associated neuropathy, alcohol-related neuropathy)
• 4. Temperature \> 100.5°C
• 5. History of infection within the last 30 days (i.e. UTI, URI, pressure sore)
• 6. History of Pulmonary Embolus (PE) or deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
• 7. Inability to obtain informed consent
• 8. Psychiatric problems (patients need to be able to complete the pain survey)
• 9. Diagnosis or treatment of cancer in the last 5 years
• B. Longitudinal, Prospective Cohort Patients:
• Inclusion:
• 1\. Initial traumatic SCI with deficit
• Exclusion:
• Same as listed above C. Healthy Volunteers Healthy volunteers include gender, age and race matched volunteers able to provide informed consent who have,
• 1. No significant medical history (pain free)
• 2. No recent infections
• 3. Take no medications
• 4. Fever free
• 5. Greater than 18 years old