The peripheral and central mechanisms of transition of acute to chronic pain and the possible role of cyclooxygenase-2 inhibition in the prevention of pain syndrome chronization

Abstract

Chronic pain syndromes as a cause of suffering, short-term or persistent disability, and social losses greatly worsen quality of life. The mecha￾nisms leading to the occurrence and maintenance of chronic pain are traditionally of interest for in-depth study since each of them is potentially a target for pharmacotherapy. Peripheral and central sensitizations, as well as disinhibition make different contributions to the development of chronic pain. The fact that cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors may affect at both the peripheral and central, spinal levels, by modulating such a phenomenon as central sensitization, has been recently discussed. There are theoretical prerequisites for a discussion of this action of COX-2 inhibitors; however, clinical findings supporting this hypothesis have been scarce so far. In this connection, of interest is the clinical trial published in 2016, which may suggest to a high degree of accuracy that some analgesic effect of the selective COX-2 inhibitor etoricoxib is realized through the central mechanisms of pain modulation.