Affective pain modulation in fibromyalgia, somatoform pain disorder, back pain, and healthy controls.

Arnold BS, Alpers GW, Süß H, Friedel E, Kosmützky G, Geier A, Pauli P.
Klinikum Bad Bocklet, Frankenstrasse 36, 97708 Bad Bocklet.

Previous research suggested that patients with fibromyalgia (FM) experience a higher pain intensity (clinical pain) than do patients with musculoskeletal pain after negative emotional priming compared to positive priming. To further examine affective pain modulation in FM, we applied an experimental pain induction to compare 30 patients with FM with 30 healthy (pain-free) participants (HC), and 30 patients with back pain (BP). For another group of 30 patients with somatoform pain disorder (SF), we predicted the same pain modulation as for FM. As primes we presented positive, neutral, negative, and pain-related pictures and assessed pain intensity in response to a fixed pressure weight. Overall, picture valence modulated pain intensities (in the order of pain-related>negative pictures>neutral), but the pain intensities between neutral and positive pictures did not differ significantly. SF reported significantly higher pain intensities than did BP and HC; FM were in between, but did not differ significantly from the three other groups. There was no interaction of priming and group. Affective modulation of pain was not specifically altered in FM and SF, but SF were more sensitive to pressure pain than BP and HC.

PMID: 17723312 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

1: Eur J Pain. 2007 Aug 25; [Epub ahead of print]

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TenderPoints – 2008 Fibromyalgia Conference in Hollywood Florida

Hello Fellow Fibrohuggers!!

It is THAT time again, we are well into planning our next conference! We wanted
to give you the scoop on it so you can start planning on attending.

It is scheduled for April 24-27, 2008 in Hollywood Florida. Though the
conference does not officially start until Thur the 24th, we usually try to get
together with anyone who has arrived the Wednesday before. Becky and El have
gone to check out the area, and have picked out a simply wonderful hotel! It
sits right on the ocean, just Gorgeous. Beautiful outside pool, and hottub
outside. There is a boardwalk that goes in front of this hotel, along with along
a long area on the beach. There is an awesome bar area (covered) with also
outside seating along this boardwalk that belongs to the hotel. There are
numbers of restaurants along the boardwalk and around the hotel area. The
week-end we are going to be there, there is an arts and craft fair on the large
patio area.

When you call to book a room, be sure you ask for the “Fibrohugs” set of rooms.
We have a block of rooms saved at a special rate just for us. Remember, don’t
delay in making your reservation, as the hotel is already about booked for that
time, so you need to reserve a room soon. The url for the hotel is
http://www.ramadahbr.com The room rates are as follows:

Start Date – End Date – Room Type – Single – Double -
Triple – Quad
4/23/08 – 4/27/08 – Superior – $119 – $119
- N/A – N/A
4/23/08 – 4/27/08 – Deluxe – $139 – $139
- $139 – $139
4/23/08 – 4/27/08 – 1 Bdrm Suite – $159 – $159 -
$159 – $159

We are still working on the “official” schedule of events, but we can tell you
we will have snacks provided, as well as Dinner together on Saturday and
breakfast together on Sunday (both provided). And of course, great speakers and
loads of fun!

We are looking for people who can donate their wonderful crafts, works of art,
those kinds of things for our door prizes. If you have something to donate,
please contact us at hugs2008@fibrohugs.com Also, anyone who can procure items
from business and such for door prizes would be very much appreciated.

We also are looking at providing booth space to rent to anyone who would like to
sell their homemade items during the conference. The price for the booth is not
set yet, but rest assured it will be very reasonable.

The price for the wonderful long weekend of Fibrohugging fun is just $120
(American). You can pay by personal check or through paypal. If you would like
to send a check please make it payable to: Fibrohugs.com, and send it to:

Fibrohugs.com
167 Scarth St. North
Regina, SK S4R-2Z4
Canada

Be sure to get it in the mail soon to save your spot! And remember, postage to
Canada is a bit more than US Mail.

If you would like to pay through paypal, Ken’s account is under
donations@fibrohugs.com

I know we have said it before, but it bears repeating. You DON’T want to miss
this special time to get together with other Fibrohuggers and friends. It truly
will change your life in a wonderful, unforgettable way. And the added benefit
of getting to meet Ken and his family is a great bonus!

If you have any questions, contact us at hugs2008@fibrohugs.com

Looking forward to meeting new friends, and rekindling old friendships,

Your 2008 conference planning team

————

This Newsletter brought to you at no charge because of the following supporters
below:

————

If I would have know I was going to live this long I would have treated this
body a whole lot better You CAN repair the damage, see

http://www.themaxsecret.com

————

Fibromyalgia Awareness items

http://www.fibrohugs.com/staticpages/index.php?page=20040310002129833

————

Fibromyalgia on eBAY http://www.hugsebay.com
Enquire how you can get involved with fundraising at fibroebay@fibrohugs.com

————

7 1/2 Hours of Live Video on VHS or DVD of “Richard Van Why separating the lore
and advertising sales pitches from the published research and factual
information about Fibromyalgia.”

http://www.fibrohugs.com/staticpages/index.php?page=20040222005149475

————
You can UNsubscribe or have your friends Subscribe to this Newsletter at any
time by clicking on this link: http://www.tenderpoints.com

————

Information through this Newsletter does not necessarily represent the views of
Fibrohugs.com but we choose to send all information so that “you” can make your
own decisions and act accordingly. We do not feel we have the right to
discriminate or censor information that falls outside of our professional
realms. If you agree or disagree we invite you to contact the “Authors of the
Articles” and provide them with your comments. Or, in other words, “Don’t shoot
the messenger”. Please address any discussions on our message boards at

http://www.fibrohugs.com/forum/index.php

————

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Glutathione: The “mother” of all antioxidants…

Glucosamine-like supplement inhibits multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes

A glucosamine-like dietary supplement has been found to suppress the damaging autoimmune response seen in multiple sclerosis and type-1 diabetes mellitus, according to University of California, Irvine health sciences researchers.
National Institutes of Health, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Wadsworth Foundation, Canadian Institutes for Health Research

Contact: Tom Vasich
tmvasich@uci.edu
949-824-6455
University of California – Irvine

Glutathione: The “mother” of all antioxidants…

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Characteristics and healthcare costs of patients with fibromyalgia syndrome.

Berger A, Dukes E, Martin S, Edelsberg J, Oster G.
Policy Analysis, Inc. (PAI), Brookline, MA, USA.

Purpose: To examine the characteristics and healthcare costs of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) patients in clinical practice. Materials and methods: Using a US health-insurance database, we identified all patients, aged >/= 18 years, with any healthcare encounters for FMS (ICD-9-CM diagnosis code 729.1) in each year of the 3-year period, 1 July 2002 to 30 June 2005. A comparison group was then constituted, consisting of randomly selected patients without any healthcare encounters for FMS during this 3-year period. Comparison group patients were matched to FMS patients based on age and sex. Characteristics and healthcare costs of FMS patients and comparison group patients were then examined over the 1-year period, 1 July 2004 to 30 June 2005 (the most recent year for which data were available at the time of the study). Results: The study sample consisted of 33,176 FMS patients and an identical number in the comparison group. Mean age was 46 years, and 75% were women. FMS patients were more likely to have various comorbidities, including painful neuropathies (23% vs. 3% for comparison group), anxiety (5% vs. 1%), and depression (12% vs. 3%) (all p < 0.001); they also were more likely to have used pain-related pharmacotherapy (65% vs. 34% for comparison group; p < 0.001). Mean (SD) total healthcare costs over 12 months were about three times higher among FMS patients [$9573 ($20,135) vs. $3291 ($13,643); p < 0.001]; median costs were fivefold higher ($4247 vs. $822; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Patients with FMS have comparatively high levels of comorbidities and high levels of healthcare utilization and cost.

PMID: 17655684 [PubMed - in process]

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Trace element pattern in patients with fibromyalgia.

Rosborg I, Hyllén E, Lidbeck J, Nihlgård B, Gerhardsson L.
Inst of Chemical Engineering, Lund University, SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden.

An imbalance of the trace element status in human tissues and body fluids has been suggested as a contributing factor for the development of fibromyalgia (FM). The study comprised 38 females with defined fibromyalgia (FM) according to generally accepted criteria from the American College of Rheumatology (ACR). They were compared with 41 females matched for age and geographic location. The concentrations of about 30 trace element and ions were determined in whole blood, urine and drinking water of all participants by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Significantly higher concentrations in whole blood of Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Se, Sn and Zn (p</=0.046) were observed in the FM-cases in comparison with the referents. A different pattern was noted in urine with increased urinary excretion of Ag (p=0.003) among the FM-patients. The urinary excretion of the other elements were of the same magnitude or slightly lower in FM-cases as compared to referents. As nearly all of the concentrations of the studied elements in blood and urine were within reported reference intervals in non-occupationally exposed populations, the clinical significance of the differences observed seems to be limited. The element concentrations of the studied elements in drinking water were within present national and international guideline values (EU, WHO) and the concentrations of potentially toxic metals such as e.g. Cd, Hg and Pb were low. In conclusion, the present investigation could not demonstrate abnormal levels of trace elements in blood or urine of FM-patients and, thus, does not support the hypothesis that trace element abnormalities play a significant role in the development of FM.

PMID: 17714765 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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The Story Behind “Free Hugs”

Have you been fibro hugged lately?

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Whiplash may produce delayed jaw pain

ADA Journal study follows car-crash victims

CHICAGO, Aug. 16, 2007 – One in three people exposed to whiplash trauma is at risk of developing delayed TMJ symptoms that may require treatment, according to research published in the August issue of The Journal of the American Dental Association.

Researchers at Umeå University, Sweden, studied short- and long-term temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain and dysfunction in 60 patients in hospital emergency rooms directly after they were involved in a rear-end car collision and evaluated them again one year later.

According to the study, the incidence of new symptoms of TMJ pain, dysfunction or both between the initial examination and follow-up was five times higher in subjects than in uninjured control subjects. In the year between the two examinations, 7 percent of control subjects developed symptoms in the TMJ versus 34 percent of study subjects.

According to the American Dental Association, the TM joint is one of the most complex joints in the body. Located on each side of the head, these joints work together and can make many different movements, including a combination of rotating and translocational (gliding) action, used when chewing and speaking. Any problem that prevents this system of muscles, ligaments, discs and bones from working together properly may result in a painful TMJ disorder.

When the patients reported having symptoms in the TMJ either before or after their accidents or both, the authors evaluated symptoms, including clicking, locking and TMJ pain. They also asked patients to rate their pain intensity and report the degree to which symptoms interfered with their daily lives, including sleep disturbances, use of pain relievers and the need to take sick leave.

“One in three people who are exposed to whiplash trauma, which induces neck symptoms, is at risk of developing delayed TMJ pain and dysfunction during the year after the accident,” the researchers concluded.

###
Note: This study was published in the Journal of the American Dental Association, but does not necessarily reflect the policies or opinions of the American Dental Association.

About the American Dental Association
The not-for-profit ADA is the nation’s largest dental association, representing more than 155,000 dentist members. The premier source of oral health information, the ADA has advocated for the public’s health and promoted the art and science of dentistry since 1859. The ADA’s state-of-the-art research facilities develop and test dental products and materials that have advanced the practice of dentistry and made the patient experience more positive. The ADA Seal of Acceptance long has been a valuable and respected guide to consumer and professional products. For more information about the ADA, visit the Association’s Web site at http://www.ada.org.

Contact: Fred Peterson
petersonf@ada.org
312-440-2806
American Dental Association

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Dysfunctional beliefs, stress and sleep disturbance in fibromyalgia.

Theadom A, Cropley M.
Department of Primary Care and Public Health, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9PH, UK.

OBJECTIVE: To explore sleep-related dysfunctional beliefs, stress levels and sleep quality in patients with fibromyalgia in comparison to healthy controls.

METHODS: One hundred sixty-six participants (83 patients with fibromyalgia and 83 healthy controls) completed self-report measures exploring beliefs and attitudes about sleep, perceived stress, sleep quality and levels of pain and fatigue.

RESULTS: Relative to healthy controls, patients with fibromyalgia revealed significantly higher levels of dysfunctional beliefs and attitudes about sleep and perceived stress. High dysfunctional beliefs were significantly associated with poorer sleep quality and high perceived stress was significantly related to higher sleep disturbances and daytime dysfunction.

CONCLUSIONS: Beliefs about sleep and perceived stress play a significant role in the sleep quality of patients with fibromyalgia. Interventions to improve sleep quality for people with fibromyalgia need to identify and address dysfunctional beliefs about sleep and incorporate stress management approaches.

PMID: 17681881 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Serum ghrelin levels but not GH, IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels are altered in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome.

Tander B, Atmaca A, Aliyazicioglu Y, Canturk F.

Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Ondokuz Mayis University School of Medicine, 55139 Kurupelit, Samsun, Turkey.

INTRODUCTION: Both hypothalamo-pituitary-insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) axis and ghrelin levels may be altered in fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) due to increased somatostatin tone. The aim of this study is to compare hypothalamo-pituitary-IGF-1 axis, ghrelin concentrations and their relations in premenopausal women with FMS and premenopausal healthy controls.

METHODS: Seventy-five women (47 FMS and 28 healthy women) were enrolled in the study. Fasting plasma glucose, serum growth hormone (GH), insulin, C-peptide, IGF-1, insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) and ghrelin levels were measured. Depressive symptoms were assessed using beck depression inventory. Pain intensity and sleep disturbance were recorded on a visual analog scale. The activity of daily living was assessed by fibromyalgia impact questionnaire.

RESULTS: There were no significant differences in GH, IGF-1, IGFBP-3, glucose, insulin, and C-peptide levels between patients and controls (p>0.05), whereas ghrelin levels were significantly lower in patients than controls (p<0.05). Ghrelin levels were not correlated with GH, IGF-1, IGFBP-3, glucose, insulin, and C-peptide levels while they were positively correlated with tender point score and sleep disturbance score and negatively correlated with pain intensity score.

CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that low levels of ghrelin in FMS are not related to the changes in hypothalamo-pituitary-IGF-1 axis but may be related to some symptoms of FMS. Our results need to be clarified by further studies.

PMID: 17689128 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Treatment of fibromyalgia and its symptoms.

Staud R.

Professor of Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, McKnight Brain Institute, Gainesville, FL 32610-0221, USA +1 352 273 5345 ; +1 352 392 8483 ; staudr@ufl.edu.

The main symptoms of fibromyalgia syndrome (FM) are pain, stiffness, subjective weakness and muscle fatigue. Pain in FM usually fluctuates, as well as being ‘deep’ and is always associated with local or generalized tenderness (hyperalgesia and allodynia). The pathogenesis of such peripheral and/or CNS changes in FM is unclear, but peripheral tissue changes, specifically in muscles, have been implicated. Indirect evidence from interventions that attenuate tonic peripheral impulse input in patients with FM suggest that overall FM pain is dependent on nociception. More importantly, FM-associated widespread mechanical hyperalgesia and allodynia can also be improved or abolished by removal of peripheral pain impulse input. In addition, FM patients show evidence of abnormal stress reactivity, including blunting of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and increased autonomic nervous system responsiveness. Thus, therapeutic interventions in FM should target not only pain reductions, but also improvements of peripheral/central sensitization and neuroendocrine/autonomic abnormalities. Despite the complexity of FM, there are pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions that are available that have clinical benefit. Present evidence indicates efficacy of antidepressants, cardiovascular exercise and cognitive behavioral therapy. Based on this evidence, a stepwise program emphasizing education, medications, exercise and cognitive therapy can be recommended.

PMID: 17685881 [PubMed - in process]

1: Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2007 Aug;8(11):1629-42.

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