| Mission |
Our mission is to promote
public and professional awareness of CRPS and to educate
those afflicted with the syndrome, their families, friends,
insurance and healthcare providers on the disabling pain
it causes. We encourage individuals with CRPS to offer
each other emotional support within affiliate groups.
And finally, we are committed to raising funds for research
into the cause and cure of CRPS.
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| Research |
RSDSA is committed to
encouraging research into the cause and cure of CRPS. Since 1992, RSDSA has
funded $1,189,847 in fellowships and grants. In 2007, we funded $144,906 in grants,
the most ever in a single year.
Some RSDSA-funded research projects include:
Follow-up Study for the Internet-based Epidemiologic Survey
A web-based survey was conducted by the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine between October 2004 and February 2005 to better understand the epidemiology of CRPS. This survey, funded by
RSDSA and posted online, resulted in more than 1350 entries. The survey has provided valuable information that has been analyzed in part and presented as a poster abstract at the annual
meeting of the American Society of Anesthesiologists in 2005. A follow-up survey questionnaire is
being conducted through a website that individuals can directly access to participate in the
survey.
2007-2008 Rachel Tobias Young Pain Research Investigator Award
The 2007-2008 Tobias Young Pain Research Investigator Award was awarded to Anne Louise
Oaklander, MD, PhD, and Max Klein, PhD, who will investigate laser Doppler flowmetry for its
diagnostic potential. Dr. Klein will work to evaluate the measurement of nerve-mediated blood flow in relation to skin biopsy nerve cell counts through an application of advanced laser Doppler flowmetry techniques in patients whose nerve injuries have been well-characterized through
biopsies. A noninvasive technique would help to diagnose CRPS earlier, without invasive skin
biopsies and the time-consuming processing of tissue samples.
Maternally-inherited mitochondrial DNA sequence variants and CRPS-I
With American RSDHope, RSDSA awarded a $50,000 research grant to the Children's Hospital of
Los Angeles and to Richard Boles, MD, Director, Center for Metabolic and Mitochondrial Disorders
at the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles. Dr. Boles and his team will study maternally-inherited
mitochondrial DNA sequence variants and CRPS-I. Their hypothesis is that is that a brain/nerve
energy deficiency that can be caused by maternally inherited changes in the mtDNA code plays an
important role in the development of many functional disorders, including CRPS-I. The team will
study up to 300 individuals who have been diagnosed with CRPS-I by a physician or other
healthcare providers.
Pilot Study on Safety and efficacy of the Noninvasive Transcranial Stimulation to Relieve Neuropathic Pain in Patients with CRPS
Previous research has revealed that pain in CRPS patients is associated with cortical reorganization, i.e. pathological changes in the somatotopic organization and excitability of the motor and somatosensory cortex. As studies in patients with CRPS and other symptoms featuring neuropathic pain have shown that reversal of pathological cortical changes back to normal is accompanied by pain relief, modulation of cortical excitability seems to be a promising therapeutic approach to alleviate neuropathic pain. The purpose of the study is to determine the efficacy of a new noninvasive completely painless technique called transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), to alleviate pain and sensory abnormalities in patients with CRPS.
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Educational Initiatives
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Evidenced-based Clinical
Practice Guidelines for the Diagnosis, Treatment, and
Management of CRPS
Article
archive of peer-reviewed medical articles on research,
diagnosis and treatment of CRPS
Electronic Alerts
Website
Free information packets
Slide
kit for professionals on diagnosis and treatment
RSDSA exhibits at several major medical, health, and
benefit insurer conferences.
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| Funding |
Contributions, member dues, program fees,
special events, and grant support from pharmaceutical
and other companies, and private and corporate foundations.
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