Mortality in a cohort of Danish patients with fibromyalgia: Increased frequency of suicide

Epigenetic alterations and an increased frequency of micronuclei in women with fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia (FM), characterized by chronic widespread pain, fatigue, and cognitive/mood disturbances, leads to reduced workplace productivity and increased healthcare expenses. To determine if acquired epigenetic/genetic changes are associated with FM, we compared the frequency of spontaneously occurring micronuclei (MN) and genome-wide methylation patterns in women with FM (n = 10) to those seen in comparably aged healthy controls (n = 42 (MN); n = 8 (methylation)). The mean (sd) MN frequency of women with FM (51.4 (21.9)) was significantly higher than that of controls (15.8 (8.5)) (χ² = 45.552; df = 1; P = 1.49 × 10⁻¹¹). Significant differences (n = 69 sites) in methylation patterns were observed between cases and controls considering a 5% false discovery rate. The majority of differentially methylated (DM) sites (91%) were attributable to increased values in the women with FM. The DM sites included significant biological clusters involved in neuron differentiation/nervous system development, skeletal/organ system development, and chromatin compaction. Genes associated with DM sites whose function has particular relevance to FM included BDNF, NAT15, HDAC4, PRKCA, RTN1, and PRKG1. Results support the need for future research to further examine the potential role of epigenetic and acquired chromosomal alterations as a possible biological mechanism underlying FM.

Mortality rate and causes of death in women with self-reported musculoskeletal pain: Results from a 17-year follow-up study

Introduction

Chronic musculoskeletal pain represents a significant health problem among adults in Norway. The prevalence of chronic pain is reported to be 35-53% in cross sectional studies of both genders. For many years, it has been a common opinion among medical doctors that chronic pain may indeed reduce a person’s quality of life, but not affect life expectancy. However, over the previous two decades, reports about mortality and cause of death in individuals with chronic pain have been published. So far, several studies conclude that there is an increased mortality in patients with chronic pain, but it is not clear what causes this. Increased occurrences of cardio-vascular death or cancer death have been reported in some studies, but not verified in other studies.

Aims of the study

The aims of this study were to estimate the mortality rate in females with different extent of pain, to identify potential risk factors for death and to investigate if the causes of death differ according to prior reported pain.

Methods

This is a prospective population-based study of all women between 20 and 50 years registered in Arendal, Norway, in 1989 (N = 2498 individuals). At follow-up in 2007, 2261 living females were retraced, 89 had died.

All subjects received a questionnaire containing questions about chronic pain (pain ≥ 3 months duration in muscles, joints, back or the whole body) as well as 13 sub-questions about pain-modulating factors, non-specific health complaints and sleep problems, by mail in 1990, 1995 and 2007. Only subjects who answered the questionnaire in 1990 were included in the analyses. Of the deceased, 71 had answered the questionnaire in 1990.

A multivariate model for cox regression analysis was used in order to clarify if chronic pain, sleep problems, feeling anxious, frightened or nervous and number of unspecific health were risk factors for death.

The causes of death of 87 of the deceased individuals were obtained by linking the ID-number with the Norwegian Cause of Death Registry.

Results

The ratio of deceased responders was 2% (14/870) among those with no pain versus 5% (57/1168) among those with chronic pain at baseline. When separating into chronic regional pain and chronic widespread pain, the mortality rate was respectively 4% and 8% in the different groups. Age adjusted hazard ratio for mortality rate in individuals with initially chronic pain was [HR 2.5 (CI 1.4–4.5)] compared to pain free individuals. In the multivariate analysis, having chronic pain [HR 2.1 (1.1–4.2)] and feeling anxious, frightened or nervous [HR 3.2 (1.8–5.6)] were associated with increased risk of death. There was no difference in death from cardiovascular disease or malignancies between the groups of pain free individuals vs. the group of individuals with chronic pain.

Conclusion

The mortality rate was significantly higher for individuals with chronic pain compared to pain free individuals, adjusted for age. In addition, feeling anxious, frightened or nervous were risk factors for death. There was an increase in all-cause mortality.

Non-specific, functional, and somatoform bodily complaints

BACKGROUND

4-10% of the general population and 20% of primary care patients have what are called "non-specific, functional, and somatoform bodily complaints." These often take a chronic course, markedly impair the sufferers' quality of life, and give rise to high costs. They can be made worse by inappropriate behavior on the physician's part.

METHODS

The new S3 guideline was formulated by representatives of 29 medical and psychological specialty societies and one patient representative. They analyzed more than 4000 publications retrieved by a systematic literature search and held two online Delphi rounds and three consensus conferences.

RESULTS

Because of the breadth of the topic, the available evidence varied in quality depending on the particular subject addressed and was often only of moderate quality. A strong consensus was reached on most subjects. In the new guideline, it is recommended that physicians should establish a therapeutic alliance with the patient, adopt a symptom/coping-oriented attitude, and avoid stigmatizing comments. A biopsychosocial diagnostic evaluation, combined with sensitive discussion of signs of psychosocial stress, enables the early recognition of problems of this type, as well as of comorbid conditions, while lowering the risk of iatrogenic somatization. For mild, uncomplicated courses, the establishment of a biopsychosocial explanatory model and physical/social activation are recommended. More severe, complicated courses call for collaborative, coordinated management, including regular appointments (as opposed to ad-hoc appointments whenever the patient feels worse), graded activation, and psychotherapy; the latter may involve cognitive behavioral therapy or a psychodynamic-interpersonal or hypnotherapeutic/imaginative approach. The comprehensive treatment plan may be multimodal, potentially including body-oriented/non-verbal therapies, relaxation training, and time-limited pharmacotherapy.

CONCLUSION

A thorough, simultaneous biopsychosocial diagnostic assessment enables the early recognition of non-specific, functional, and somatoform bodily complaints. The appropriate treatment depends on the severity of the condition. Effective treatment requires the patient's active cooperation and the collaboration of all treating health professionals under the overall management of the patient's primary-care physician.