Abstract. The systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and acute reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome (RSD) share clinical signs of severe inflammation, a protracted course, and a similar problem of impaired oxygen utilization. The difference is that SIRS patients have these signs and symptoms systemically and are severely ill in the intensive care unit (ICU), whereas acute RSD patients are in good health and their problems are limited to one extremity. Both conditions seem to be the result of an exaggerated inflammatory response. As RSD patients have a healthy contralateral extremity, they may be their own control in various flux studies. It is hypothesized that this situation is exquisitely suitable for studying the pathophysiology of severe inflammatory responses in humans. Only a few patients are required to perform studies of, for example, oxygen metabolism and cytokine or oxygen radical production. Assessment methods may be utilized, such as nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, which cannot easily be performed in ICU patients.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Use our pre-submission checklist
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Goris, R. Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy: Model of a Severe Regional Inflammatory Response Syndrome. World J. Surg. 22, 197–202 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/s002689900369
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s002689900369