Abstract
Background: Cell-free circulating DNA (cfDNA), which can be extracted by liquid biopsy, has been studied as a noninvasive biomarker for various diseases. The potential of cfDNA fragment size and level as a marker for low back pain (LBP) has never been studied. We investigated whether cfDNA is a biomarker of LBP severity in patients with a lumbar degenerative disease (LDD). Methods: Blood samples were obtained from patients with LDD (n = 21) before and immediately after spinal surgery. Plasma DNA was isolated and examined for cfDNA fragment size and concentration. A cohort of healthy volunteers (n = 5) constituted the control group.Results: The cfDNA fragment size tended to be shorter in patients than in healthy controls, but this difference was not significant (P = .224). cfDNA level was significantly higher in LDD patients (mean 0.642±0.199 ng/mL, range 0.302–1.150 ng/mL) than in healthy controls (mean 0.429±0.064 ng/mL, range 0.366–0.506 ng/mL) (P = .029). cfDNA level correlated positively with present pain (r = .421, P = .036), maximum pain (r = .419, P = .037), average pain (r = .566, P = .003), low back pain (r = .403, P = .041), leg pain (r = .480, P = .013), and leg numbness (r = .455, P = .020). cfDNA fragment size did not differ from before to after surgery, but cfDNA level increased postoperatively in patients with LDD. Conclusions: This was the first study investigating whether cfDNA fragment size and level are associated with pain, including LBP, in patients with LDD. Our findings suggest that cfDNA level may be an objective indicator of pain and surgical invasiveness in patients with LDD.
Analysis of
cell‐free
circulating
DNA
fragment size and level in patients with lumbar canal stenosis
