Robert J. Schwartzman, MD

Dr. Schwartzman was a professor and emeritus chair of the Department of Neurology at Drexel University College of Medicine. He came to the Drexel University College of Medicine in 1995 as chairman of the Department of Neurology during the time of MCP Hahnemann University. He retired from clinical practice in 2013 and remained active as the author of several neurological reference books until his passing in 2021.

Dr. Schwartzman had gained national recognition for his decades of medical practice, research, and teaching. He served as the neurology residency training director for programs at three universities and the chairman of neurology at three institutions.

He received his undergraduate education at Harvard and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. His medical training was done at Duke University under the tutelage of Dr. Eugene A. Stead. He completed his neurology training at the University of Pennsylvania and his neuromuscular fellowship at the National Institutes of Health. He was board-certified in internal medicine and neurology.

He served as chairman of the Department of Neurology at Thomas Jefferson University from 1982 to 1995 and previously, as Chief of Neurology at the University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, from 1978 to 1982. Before that, he was an associate professor of neurology at the University of Miami from 1971 through 1978. He received teaching awards from all the universities at which he served, as well as national teaching awards in both neurology and anesthesiology.

In his 40-plus years of practicing medicine and teaching, Dr. Schwartzman trained over 350 residents. Nearly sixty have become professors of neurology, and ten have become chairs of neurology departments.

With colleagues at Jefferson, he founded the country's first Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) clinic. He also established a pain research laboratory demonstrating cytokines' prominent role in CRPS. These pro-inflammatory factors are similar to those seen in COVID-19.

The clinical group's efforts have delineated many clinical features of the disease and have led to an effective treatment for many with ketamine. The alleviation of pain has been a significant component of his scholarly and clinical interests.

Dr. Schwartzman's primary area of research interest was chronic pain, particularly complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). His laboratory evaluated pro and anti-inflammatory chemokines, cytokine, and their soluble receptors profile.

The pain group conducted clinical trials using drugs that inhibit the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines and promote anti-inflammatory cytokines for the treatment of pain. They also evaluated the treatment of CRPS with intravenous ketamine (a dissociative anesthetic analgesic NMDA antagonist).

The research group established a means of evaluating a patient's pain condition through quantitative sensory testing (QST) and autonomic nervous system testing (ANST).

These are techniques used to study disease progression or remission through precise measurement of vibrotactile, thermal detection thresholds, and thermal pain thresholds. The lab also had specialized expertise in neuropathic pain assessment techniques.

Dr. Schwartzman's 1982 paper on disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) was the first to demonstrate micro thrombosis in diffuse organ systems and the central nervous system – a major pathology that is seen in COVID-19.

Education

• Medical School: MD – University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia
• Medical Residency – Duke University Hospital, Durham, NC
• Neurology Residency – University of Pennsylvania
• Neuromuscular Fellowship – National Institutes of Health

Awards & Honors

• Listed in “Best Doctors” (2009-2010, 2011-2012)
• Humanitarian Award, the Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome Coalition of New England and the National RSD Society
• Awarded by the International Research Foundation for RSD/CRPS for clinical teaching (2010)
• Teacher recognition certificate given on behalf of the American Academy of Neurology and the AB Baker Section on Neurologic Education at the AAN Meeting (2007 and 2008)

Memberships / Professional Affiliations

• Founding member, Scientific Advisory Board for the Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Association of America

Publications

Hsa-miR-605 regulates the proinflammatory chemokine CXCL5 in complex regional pain syndrome.
Pande, R., A. Parikh, B. Shenoda, S. Ramanathan, G. M. Alexander, R. J. Schwartzman and S. K. Ajit (2021). Biomed Pharmacother. 140: 111788.

Optimizing the Treatment of CRPS With Ketamine
Kirkpatrick, A. F., Saghafi, A., Yang, K., Qiu, P., Alexander, J., Bavry, E., & Schwartzman, RJ.
The Clinical journal of pain, 36(7), pp 516–523, 2020.

miR-34a-mediated regulation of XIST in female cells under inflammation
Shenoda, B. B., Tian, Y., Alexander, G. M., Aradillas-Lopez, E., Schwartzman, RJ., & Ajit, S. K.
Journal of pain research, 11, pp 935–945, 2018.

Analysis of Common Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome: Genome Wide Association Study Approach and Pooled DNA Strategy
Janicki PK, Alexander GM, Eckert J, Postula M, Schwartzman RJ
Pain Med. 17(12):2344-2352, 2016.

Analgesic Response to Intravenous Ketamine Is Linked to a Circulating microRNA Signature in Female Patients With Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
Douglas SR, Shenoda BB, Qureshi RA, Sacan A, Alexander GM, Perreault M, Barrett JE, Aradillas-Lopez E, Schwartzman RJ, Ajit SK.
J Pain. Sep;16(9):814-24, 2015.

Plasma Exchange Therapy in Patients with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome.
Aradillas E, Schwartzman RJ, Grothusen JR, Goebel A and Alexander GM.
Pain Physician. Jul-Aug;18(4). pp 383-94, 2015.

Lenalidomide for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Type 1: Lack of Efficacy in a Phase II Randomized Study.
Manning DC, Alexander G, Arezzo JC, Cooper A, Harden RN, Oaklander AL, Raja SN, Rauck R, Schwartzman RJ
Pain. 15(12) pp1366-1376, 2014.

Development and validation of a sensitive LC-MS/MS method for the determination of D-serine in human plasma
Xie Y, Alexander GM, Schwartzman RJ, Singh N, Torjman MC, Goldberg ME, Wainer IW, Moaddel R
J Pharm Biomed Anal, 89 pp 1-5, 2014,89, pp 1-5, 2014.

Thermal Pain in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Type I
Grothusen JR, Alexander GM, Erwin K, Schwartzman RJ
Pain Physician, 17(1) pp 71-79, 2014.

Plasma Amino Acids Changes in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
Alexander GM, Reichenberger E, Peterlin BL, Perreault MJ, Grothusen JR, Schwartzman RJ
Pain Res Treat, 2013, pp 742407, 2013.

Objective Sensory Evaluation of the Spread of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome.
Edinger L, Schwartzman RJ, Ahmad A, Erwin K, Alexander GM
Pain Physician, 16(6) pp 581-591. 2013.

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome: Systemic Complications
Schwartzman RJ
Practical Pain Management, 13(3) pp 2-10, 2013.

Systemic Complications of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
Schwartzman RJ
Neuroscience & Medicine, 3:225-242, 2012.

Use of therapies other than disease-modifying agents, including complementary and alternative medicine, by patients with multiple sclerosis: a survey study
Stoll SS, Nieves C, Tabby DS, Schwartzman RJ
Am Osteopath Assoc, Vol.112, No. 1, pp. 22-8, 2012.

Neuropsychology and complex regional pain syndrome
Libon DJ, Alexander G, Schwartzman RJ
Pain, Vol.153, No. 5, pp. 1128, 2012.

Skin biopsy in complex regional pain syndrome: case series and literature review
Kharkar S, Venkatesh YS, Grothusen JR, Rojas L, Schwartzman RJ
Pain Physician, Vol.15, No. 3, pp. 255-66, 2012.

Changes in plasma cytokines and their soluble receptors in complex regional pain syndrome
Alexander GM, Peterlin BL, Perreault MJ, Grothusen JR, Schwartzman RJ
Pain, Vol.13, No. 1, pp. 10-20, 2012.

Syncope in complex regional pain syndrome
Smith JA, Karalis DG, Rosso AL, Grothusen JR, Hessen SE, Schwartzman RJ
Clin Cardiol, Vol.34, No. 4, pp. 222-5, 2011.

The use of ketamine in complex regional pain syndrome: possible mechanisms
Schwartzman RJ, Alexander GM, Grothusen J
Expert Rev Neurother, Vol.11, No. 5, pp. 719-34, 2011.

Elevated blood levels of inflammatory monocytes (CD14(+) CD16(+) ) in patients with complex regional pain syndrome
Ritz BW, Alexander GM, Nogusa S, Perreault MJ, Peterlin BL, Grothusen JR, Schwartzman RJ
Clin Exp Immunol, Vol.164, No. 1, pp. 108-17, 2011.

MicroRNA modulation in complex regional pain syndrome
Orlova IA, Alexander GM, Qureshi RA, Sacan A, Graziano A, Barrett JE, Schwartzman RJ, Ajit SK
J Transl Med, Vol.9, No. 1, pp. 195, 2011.

Intramuscular botulinum toxin in complex regional pain syndrome: case series and literature review
Kharkar S, Ambady P, Venkatesh Y, Schwartzman RJ
Pain Physician, Vol.14, No. 5, pp. 419-24, 2011.

Complex regional pain syndrome with associated chest wall dystonia: a case report
Irwin DJ, Schwartzman RJ
Journal of brachial plexus and peripheral nerve injury, Vol.6, pp. 6, 2011.

Laser Doppler imaging: usefulness in chronic pain medicine
Grothusen JR, Schwartzman RJ
Pain Physician, Vol.14, No. 5, pp. 491-8, 2011.

Enantioselective pharmacokinetics of (R)- and (S)-ketamine after a 5-day infusion in patients with complex regional pain syndrome
Goldberg ME, Torjman MC, Schwartzman RJ, Mager DE, Wainer IW
Chirality, Vol.23, No. 2, pp. 138-43, 2011.

Kinesigenic Dyskinesia in a Case of Voltage-Gated Potassium Channel-Complex Protein Antibody Encephalitis
Aradillas E, Schwartzman RJ
Arch Neurol, Vol.68, No. 4, pp. 529-32, 2011.

Acute loss of spatial navigational skills in a case of a right posterior hippocampus stroke
Aradillas E, Libon DJ, Schwartzman RJ
J Neurol Sci, Vol.308, No. 1-2, pp. 144-6, 2011.

Deconstructing Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
Schwartzman RJ
Practical Pain Management, March 2010.

Response to Drs. Bell and Moore commentary regarding the use of intravenous ketamine for CRPS
Schwartzman RJ
Pain, Vol.151, No. 2, pp. 554-5; author reply 6-7, 2010.

The natural history of complex regional pain syndrome
Schwartzman RJ, Erwin KL, Alexander GM
Clin J Pain, Vol.25, No. 4, 2009, pp. 273-80, 2009.

Neurologic Complications of Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation
Schwartzman RJ, Hill JB
Neurology, 1982, 32:791-797.

In the Media

• “Drexel Physicians Named 'Top Docs' by Philadelphia Magazine (May 1, 2013)"
• “Drexel Physicians Named 'Top Docs' by Philadelphia Magazine (May 1, 2012)"
• Treating Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, Lifescript (June 23, 2011)

Book Chapters

Pathophysiology of complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)
Schwartzman RJ
In: Practical guide to chronic pain syndromes, Jay GW, editor. New York: Informa Healthcare; 2010.
ISBN: 9781420080452

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
Schwartzman RJ
In: Encyclopedia of Movement Disorders, Verhagen L, Kompoliti K, editors. Boston, MA: Elsevier; 2010.
ISBN:9780123741011

Books

Neurologic Examination: an Illustrated Guide to the Neurological Examination
Schwartzman, RJ
First edn. Malden, Ma.; Blackwell Pub.; 2006.
Second Printing 2020; Marco Island, FL; RJS Medical Press LLC; ISBN: 978-1-7345967-3-1 (softback) ISBN: 978-1-7345967-2-4 (e-book)

Differential Diagnosis in Neurology.
Schwartzman, RJ
Amsterdam; Washington, DC: IOS Press; 2006. Revised Second Edition, 2019 ISBN: (9781614999669)

Neuropathic Pain: a Clinical Guide to Diagnosis
Schwartzman, RJ
Marco Island, FL; RJS Medical Press LLC