EUROPEAN NETWORK of FIBROMYALGIA ASSOCIATIONS

The European Medicines Agency (EMEA) are to have a consultation with a delegation from the European Network of Fibromyalgia Associations (ENFA)

Disability and quality of life in patients with fibromyalgia.

Verbunt JA, Pernot DH, Smeets RJ. ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Patients with fibromyalgia often feel disabled in the performance of daily activities. Psychological factors seem to play a pronounced disabling role in fibromyalgia. The objectives of the study are: Firstly, to investigate contributing factors for disability in fibromyalgia. Secondly, to study psychological distress in patients with fibromyalgia [...]

The fibromyalgia diagnosis – hardly helpful for the patients?

Undeland M, Malterud K. Department of Neurology, Buskerud Hospital Trust, Norway. Objective. To explore experiences and consequences of the process of being diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Design. Qualitative focus-group study. Setting. Two local self-help groups. Subjects. Eleven women diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Main outcome measures. Descriptions of experiences and consequences of the process of being diagnosed with [...]

Coping styles in fibromyalgia: effect of co-morbid posttraumatic stress disorder.

Ablin JN, Cohen H, Neumann L, Kaplan Z, Buskila D. Institute of Rheumatology, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, 6 Weizman St., Tel-Aviv, 64239, Israel, ajacob@post.tau.ac.il. To analyze coping styles of fibromyalgia (FM) patients with specific emphasis on differences in coping styles between fibromyalgia patients with and without post traumatic [...]

The Role of Depression and Chronic Pain Conditions in Absenteeism: Results From a National Epidemiologic Survey.

Munce SE, Stansfeld SA, Blackmore ER, Stewart DE. From the Women’s Health Program (Dr Stewart, Ms Munce), University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Center for Psychiatry (Dr Stansfeld), Barts and the London Queen Mary’s School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, United Kingdom; and Department of Psychiatry (Dr Blackmore), University of Rochester, New York, NY. OBJECTIVE:: [...]

Unique pattern of gene expression can indicate acetaminophen overdose

Contact: Robin Mackar rmackar@niehs.nih.gov 919-541-0073 NIH/National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences May lead to new tool for physicians In a new study, researchers found they could detect toxic levels of acetaminophen in laboratory animals by analyzing gene expression in the blood. This study by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the [...]

Fibromyalgia syndrome : New developments in pharmacotherapy.

[Article in German] Harten P. Schwerpunkt Rheumatologie, Sophienblatt 1, 24103, Kiel, Deutschland, p.harten@web.de. Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) affects 2-10% of the adult population in industrial countries and although it is associated with substantial morbidity and disability, treatment options are unsatisfactory. The rapid growth of trials for FMS in recent years has resulted in new, evidence-based approaches [...]

Gulf War Illness: Lessons from medically unexplained symptoms.

Iversen A, Chalder T, Wessely S. King’s Centre for Military Health Research, King’s College London, Institute of Psychiatry, UK. Service in the Persian Gulf in 1991 is associated with increased reporting of symptoms and distress in a proportion of those who served there. Yet despite clear evidence of an increase in symptom burden and a [...]

Treatment blocks pain without disrupting other functions

Contact: Natalie Frazin 301-496-5924 NIH/National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke A combination of two drugs can selectively block pain-sensing neurons in rats without impairing movement or other sensations such as touch, according to a new study by National Institutes of Health (NIH)-supported investigators. The finding suggests an improved way to treat pain from childbirth [...]

Physical activity protects male patients with post-traumatic stress disorder from developing severe fibromyalgia.

Arnson Y, Amital D, Fostick L, Silberman A, Polliack ML, Zohar J, Rubinow A, Amital H. Department of Medicine ‘D’, Meir Medical Center, Kfar-Saba, Israel (affiliated with the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University). OBJECTIVES:Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) has been associated with various psychiatric and other, ill-defined disorders. We recently showed that fibromyalgia is more prevalent [...]