Fibromyalgia: A misconnection in a multiconnected world?

Exploring Biopsychosocial Stress Markers in Women With Fibromyalgia

BACKGROUND

Identification of fibromyalgia has been a challenge for healthcare professionals due to the lack of a clinical biomarker. A well-supported integrative hypothesis holds that this condition is a chronic pain problem partly caused by long-term dysregulation of stress response. Therefore, stress assessment from a biopsychosocial perspective may be a useful approach to recognizing fibromyalgia.

PURPOSE

A cross-sectional case-control study was conducted to explore stress markers from a multidimensional perspective, including heart rate variability (as a biomarker of stress) as well as psychological distress and social stress.

METHODS

Forty-seven women with fibromyalgia were recruited from support groups and another 47 were recruited as matched pain-free controls. Comparison and discriminant function analyses were performed.

RESULTS

The data support the goodness of biopsychosocial stress markers in women with fibromyalgia, resulting in the identification of between 70% and 74.5% of fibromyalgia cases (sensitivity) and 85%-87% pain-free controls (specificity), with medium-high levels of fit (λ = 0.58 and λ = 0.59; p < .00). Women with fibromyalgia were characterized by high levels of psychological distress, social stress (disorder levels), and autonomic dysregulation. Although distress and social stress had a greater weight in discriminant functions, dysregulation in terms of low parasympathetic activity and high sympathetic activity at rest was also relevant.

CONCLUSIONS

A biopsychosocial approach to stress with an objective biomarker such as heart rate variability may be a useful tool to identify and manage FM.

Effect of physical activity education on shoulder girdle pain and muscle strength in participants with fibromyalgia: a pilot experimental study

Background

In patients with fibromyalgia, exercise and education are recommended to decrease pain level and improve pain management. The latest scientific evidence recommends to focus interventions on the upper limb. The aim of this pilot study was to compare the immediate effect of physical activity education vs. a control group on pain and muscle capacity in fibromyalgia patients.

Method

Fifty-six participants with fibromyalgia were randomized into an experimental group and a control group. The intervention consisted in watching a five-minute video that provided information about fibromyalgia, pain, kinesiophobia and physical activity. The control group watched a neutral five-minute video about beavers in Quebec. Following the video, participants performed a muscular fatigue task consisting of a repeated unilateral shoulder abduction task. At baseline and following the muscular fatigue task, maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) in shoulder abduction was assessed as well as pain level and pressure pain threshold (PPT) in the upper limb. Electromyographic activity was also assessed for upper trapezius and middle deltoid muscles. Two-way repeated measures analysis of variance was used to compare the MVC, PPT, and pain level before and after the muscular fatigue task between groups.

Results

The experimental group showed a significantly lower increase in pain than the control group in the middle deltoid muscle (p = 0.002) when assessed by verbal pain rating scale. No significant interaction or main effect of Group and Time were observed for the pain level at the upper trapezius and elbow extensor muscles nor for any of the PPT measures. According to electromyographic data, the median frequency values indicate that neither group experienced muscle fatigue during the repeated contraction task.

Conclusions

The preliminary results suggest that a short physical activity education video positively influenced middle deltoid pain following repeated abduction in participants with fibromyalgia. Electromyographic analysis showed no evidence of objective muscle fatigue, suggesting that there might be a partial disconnection between the perception of muscle fatigue and the physiological biomarkers associated with muscle fatigue.

Risk of Fibromyalgia in Patients with Primary Muscle Tension Dysphonia: A Prospective Pilot Study

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the risk of fibromyalgia in patients with primary muscle tension dysphonia (MTD) in comparison to subjects with no dysphonia.

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective cohort study.

METHODS

The medical records and video recordings of all patients presenting to the Voice and Swallowing unit at a tertiary referral center between October 2022 and October 2023 and who were diagnosed with primary MTD were prospectively reviewed. The risk of fibromyalgia was assessed using the "Fibromyalgia Rapid Screening Tool" (FiRST). Demographic data included age, gender, history of smoking, and history of high vocal load. The impact of dysphonia on quality of life was also analyzed using the Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10).

RESULTS

A total of 42 patients who had filled the FiRST questionnaire were enrolled in this study. These included 20 patients diagnosed with primary MTD and 22 healthy subjects with no history of dysphonia and normal laryngeal examination. Forty percent of the study group tested positive using the FiRST questionnaire as compared to only 9.1% in the control group. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P = 0.03). The risk of having fibromyalgia was 6.67 times among patients with primary MTD in comparison to controls (RR=6.67; 95% CI [1.21-36.74]).

CONCLUSION

The results of this investigation indicate that the risk of fibromyalgia is significantly higher in patients with primary MTD vs controls. A holistic approach in the diagnosis and treatment of MTD is advocated.

Multi-disciplinary community-based group intervention for fibromyalgia: a pilot randomized controlled trial

Fibromyalgia is characterized by widespread pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, mood disturbances, and cognitive impairment. Most individuals with fibromyalgia experience poorly managed symptoms and increased healthcare service use. Multicomponent therapies, with a focus on nonpharmacological modalities, are increasingly supported in the literature. However, given the limited resources available, implementation in smaller communities remains a challenge. This research tested a community-based multidisciplinary group intervention for individuals diagnosed with FM living in a small urban centre. The primary outcome was perceptions of quality of care and secondary outcomes included disease-related functioning, anxious and depressive symptoms, pain beliefs, and health service utilization. A pilot randomized control trial was conducted in which 60 patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia were randomized into a 10-week community-based multidisciplinary group intervention program or usual care. Treatment components included twice-weekly exercise sessions and weekly education sessions (e.g., pain education, cognitive behavioral strategies for stress, nutrition, peer support). The trial (NCT03270449) was registered September 1 2017. Statistically significant post-intervention improvements were found in the primary outcome, perceived quality of care (Cohen's d = 0.61, 0.66 for follow up care and goal setting, respectively). Secondary outcomes showing statistically significant improvements were disease-related daily functioning (Cohen's d = 0.70), depressive symptoms (Cohen's d = 0.87), and pain beliefs (Cohen's d = 0.61, 0.67, 0.82 for harm, disability and control, respectively). No adverse events were reported. Community-based multidisciplinary group interventions for fibromyalgia show promise for improving satisfaction with quality of care, disease-related functioning, and depression, and fostering more adaptive pain beliefs.

Virtual embodiment in fibromyalgia

Chronic pain alters the experience of owning a body and leads to disturbances in bodily perception. We tested whether women with fibromyalgia (FM) are receptive to bodily illusions of owning a visible and progressively invisible body in immersive virtual reality (VR), and what modulates this experience. Twenty patients participated in two experimental sessions; each session included two conditions in a counterbalanced order. We found that patients with FM could indeed experience virtual embodiment. Sentiment analysis revealed significantly more positive reactions to the progressively invisible body, yet twice as many patients declared they preferred the illusion of a visible virtual body. A linear mixed model revealed that the strength of embodiment was positively associated with body perception disturbances and negatively associated with FM symptoms intensity. No effect of pain during the VR experience nor interoception awareness on embodiment was found. The results indicated that patients with FM are receptive to virtual bodily illusions and that the impact of the embodiment depends on affective reactions, the level of cognitive body distortions, and the intensity of symptoms. Importantly, there is a large variation among patients which should be considered in future VR-based interventions.

Novel Approaches in Molecular Imaging and Neuroimaging of Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia (FM) represents a condition that is still controversial in its entity, pathophysiology, diagnosis and management. The aim of this review is to focus on imaging aspects of FM, especially on novel approaches in molecular imaging, with a special focus on neuroimaging. Novel functional and molecular imaging findings may represent, eventually, future biomarkers both in research settings and in terms of clinical practice. Several imaging techniques have already been tested in clinical trials in the FM field, including functional MRI, positron emission tomography (PET) imaging with ¹⁸F-FDG in FM, PET imaging of the dopaminergic system, PET imaging of the GABAergic system, PET imaging with neuroinflammation and neuroimmune parameters, PET imaging of the opioid system and H₂¹⁵O-PET activation studies. Therefore, the potential role in the FM field of fMRI and different PET tracers has been discussed in different settings, serving as a comprehensive guide of novel imaging options both in research and in the clinical field.

Research in Mindfulness Interventions for Patients With Fibromyalgia: A Critical Review

Fibromyalgia is one of the most common causes of widespread chronic pain. It has a huge impact on the quality of life, namely because it appears earlier in life than most of the chronic pain conditions. Furthermore, emotional-cognitive distress factors, such as depression and anxiety, are a common feature in patients with fibromyalgia. The neurobiological mechanisms underlying fibromyalgia remain mostly unknown. Among non-pharmacological treatments, cognitive-behavioral therapy has been used during the last decade, namely with the enrolment of patients in programs of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and in mindfulness-based interventions (MBI). We critically analyzed the literature to search for scientific evidence for the use of MBI in fibromyalgia. The studies were evaluated as to several outcomes of fibromyalgia improvement along with aspects of the study design which are currently considered relevant for research in mindfulness. We conclude that despite the sparsity of well-structured longitudinal studies, there are some promising results showing that the MBI are effective in reducing the negative aspects of the disease. Future design of studies using MBI in fibromyalgia management should be critically discussed. The importance of active controls, evaluation of sustained effects along with investigation of the subserving neurobiological mechanisms and detailed reports of possible adverse effects should be considered.

Milnacipran for the Treatment of Fibromyalgia

Purpose of review

This is a comprehensive review of the literature regarding the use of milnacipran in treating fibromyalgia. A chronic pain disorder with other system disturbances, fibromyalgia is often resistant to many therapeutic approaches. This review presents the background, evidence, and indications for using milnacipran as a treatment option for this condition.

Recent Findings

The definition of fibromyalgia has evolved over many years as it is a relatively tricky syndrome to measure objectively. Today, it is characterized by chronic, widespread pain accompanied by alterations in sleep, mood, and other behavioral aspects. A variety of therapeutic regimens currently used to treat the syndrome as a singular approach are rarely effective.Milnacipran is one of three drugs currently approved by the FDA for the treatment of fibromyalgia. It acts as a serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, which results in decreased pain transmission. Milnacipran remains an effective treatment option for fibromyalgia in adults and needs to be further evaluated with existing therapeutic approaches.

Summary

Fibromyalgia is a broad-spectrum disorder primarily characterized by chronic pain coupled with disturbances in cognitive functioning and sleep. The progression of this syndrome is often debilitating and significantly affects the quality of life. Milnacipran is one of three FDA-approved drugs used to alleviate the symptom burden and is comparatively more therapeutic in specific domains of fibromyalgia. A more holistic approach is needed to treat fibromyalgia effectively and further research, including direct comparison studies, should be conducted to fully evaluate the usefulness of this drug.

Metabolomic and proteomic characterization of sng and pain phenotypes in fibromyalgia

BACKGROUND

Fibromyalgia (FM) is characterized by chronic widespread pain. Its pathophysiological mechanisms remain poorly understood, and effective diagnosis and treatments are lacking. This study aimed to identify significantly changed biosignatures in FM and propose a novel classification for FM based on pain and soreness (sng) symptoms.

METHODS

Urine and serum samples from 30 FM patients and 25 controls underwent metabolomic and proteomic profiling.

RESULTS

Compared with controls, FM patients showed significant differential expression of three metabolites in urine and five metabolites and eight proteins in serum. Of them, DETP, 4-guanidinobutanoic acid, SM(d18:1/18:0), PC(20:1(11Z)/18:0), S100A7, SERPINB3, galectin-7 and LYVE1 were first reported as potential biomarkers for FM. Furthermore, lactate, 2-methylmaleate and cotinine in urine and lactate, SM(d18:1/25:1), SM(d18:1/26:1) and prostaglandin D2 (PGD2) and PCYOX1, ITIH4, PFN1, LRG1, C8G, C8A, CP, CDH5 and DBH in serum could differentiate pain- (PG) and sng-dominant groups (SG). Lactate, 2-methylmaleate, cotinine, PCYOX1, ITIH4, PFN1 and DBH have a higher level in SG. SM(d18:1/25:1), SM(d18:1/26:1), PGD2, LRG1, C8G, C8A, CP and CDH5 in SG are lower than PG. The omics results indicated disordered free radical scavenging, and lipid and amino acid metabolism networks and resulting NF-κB-dependent cytokine generation in FM. Lactate level was altered simultaneously in urine and serum and significantly higher in sng-dominant patients than others.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, we identified potential biomarkers from FM patients. The selected biomarkers could discriminate sng and pain phenotypes in FM patients. These results could help elucidate the underlying pathological mechanisms for more effective diagnosis and therapy for FM.

Experiences of patient-led chronic pain peer support groups after pain management programmes: A qualitative study

OBJECTIVE

A qualitative study of patients' experiences and the impacts of peer support groups that patients maintained after UK NHS group pain management programmes (PMPs).

DESIGN

Long-term impacts of group PMPs remain unclear, with indications that positive effects can fade. We evaluated a model of continued peer support, co-produced by patients and clinicians, to maintain the therapeutic impact of PMP groups. A protocol was implemented that encouraged patients to continue to meet in their established PMP group for patient-led peer support (without clinical input) after PMPs finished. Peer support aimed to consolidate self-management, and advance social life recovery. We examined the impacts that groups had on attendees, and why some dropped out.

METHODS

Semi-structured interviews with 38 patients and 7 clinicians, analysed thematically.

RESULTS

Friendship bonds and mutual understandings of effective ways of coping with pain encouraged participants to maintain recovery following PMPs. After PMP professional involvement has ended, these meetings enabled patients to develop greater agency from the shared sense of helping bring about new achievements or averting setbacks. Peer support extended the understanding of what is possible when living with pain. However, continuing meetings were not right for all. Reasons for not attending included lack of connection with peers.

CONCLUSIONS

Co-produced peer support groups after PMPs can be a low-cost, effective social intervention, providing emotional, practical and social benefits, with improved self-management skills, stronger social connections and some reduced use of health services. Project resources for developing peer support meetings after PMPs are freely available online.

Physical activity in the treatment of fibromyalgia

International treatment recommendations for fibromyalgia (FM) highlight the importance of adapted physical activity (APA) combined with patient education. Cognitive and behavioral therapies as well as an interdisciplinary approach can be proposed for more complex or severe clinical situations, with a biopsychosocial vision of rehabilitation. To personalize the rehabilitation's therapeutic approach, a clinician can use simple and validated instruments for measuring physical performance that will highlight levels of physical conditioning, which range from low to very low in FM patients. Several systematic reviews and meta-analyses have found strong evidence that supervised aerobic and resistance-training programs reduce the pain intensity and significantly improve the quality of life and the physical and psychological functioning of female FM subjects. These therapeutic approaches appear safe and promising in terms of cost-effectiveness and should be the subject of more randomized controlled trials among male FM subjects and adolescents.

Osteopathic medicine for fibromyalgia: a sham-controlled randomized clinical trial

Background:

Patients with fibromyalgia (FM) frequently resort to osteopathic or chiropractic treatment, despite very weak supporting evidence. We aimed to assess the efficacy of osteopathic manipulation in FM in a properly controlled and powered randomized clinical trial.

Methods:

Patients were randomized to osteopathic or sham treatment. Treatment was administered by experienced physical medicine physicians, and consisted of six sessions per patient, over 6 weeks. Treatment credibility and expectancy were repeatedly evaluated. Patients completed standardized questionnaires at baseline, during treatment, and at 6, 12, 24, and 52 weeks after randomization. The primary outcome was pain intensity (100-mm visual analog scale) during the treatment period. Secondary outcomes included fatigue, functioning, and health-related quality of life. We performed primarily intention-to-treat analyses adjusted for credibility, using multiple imputation for missing data.

Results:

In total, 101 patients (94% women) were included. Osteopathic treatment did not significantly decrease pain relative to sham treatment (mean difference during treatment: −2.2 mm; 95% confidence interval, −9.1 to 4.6 mm). No significant differences were observed for secondary outcomes. No serious adverse events were observed, despite a likely rebound in pain and altered functioning at week 12 in patients treated by osteopathy. Patient expectancy was predictive of pain during treatment, with a decrease of 12.9 mm (4.4–21.5 mm) per 10 points on the 0–30 scale. Treatment credibility and expectancy were also predictive of several secondary outcomes.

Conclusion:

Osteopathy conferred no benefit over sham treatment for pain, fatigue, functioning, and quality of life in patients with FM. These findings do not support the use of osteopathy to treat these patients. More attention should be paid to the expectancy of patients in FM management.

Pathophysiologic Approach to Pain Therapy for Complex Pain Entities: A Narrative Review

Pain management is challenging for both clinicians and patients. In fact, pain patients are frequently undertreated or even completely untreated. Optimal treatment is based on targeting the underlying mechanisms of pain and tailoring the management modality for each patient using a personalized approach. This narrative review deals with pain conditions that have a complex underlying mechanism and need an individualized and frequently multifactorial approach to pain management. The research is based on previously conducted studies, and does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors. This is not an exhaustive review of the current evidence. However, it provides the clinician with a perspective on pain therapy targeting the underlying pain mechanism(s). When dealing with complex pain conditions, the prudent physician benefits from having a deep knowledge of various underlying pain mechanisms in order to provide a plan for optimal pharmacological pain relief to patients.

Self-reported disability in women with fibromyalgia from a tertiary care center

Background

The World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS) 2.0 is a generic instrument to assess disability. Pain and psychological factors seem to play a pronounced disabling role in fibromyalgia (FM). There are few studies that investigate the factors associated with disability in patients with fibromyalgia from the patient’s perspective. Information about FM disability using self-reported questionnaires is limited. This study aimed to assess the relationship between the ordinal response variable (degree of disability), and four explanatory variables: pain intensity, depression, anxiety, and alexithymia.

Methods

One hundred fifteen women with FM were enrolled in the cross-sectional study. For the assessment of disability the WHODAS 2.0 (36-item version) was used. Univariate and multivariate (ordinal logistic regression) analyses were performed to assess the relationship between pain (Visual Analogue Scale), depression and anxiety (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), alexithymia (Modified Toronto Alexithymia Scale) and disability.

Results

Disability was detected by global WHODAS score in 114 patients (99%), with the corresponding percentages for mild, moderate and severe disability being 11.3, 46.96 and 40.87%, respectively. Global WHODAS score was more severe among subjects with depression (50 vs 36.4, p < 0.001, effect size = 0.33) and alexithymia (50 vs 33.6, p < 0.001, effect size = 0.38). Pain intensity mean scores for mild, moderate and severe disability were 5.0, 6.1 and 7.3, respectively (p < 0.001, omega-squared = 0.12). Pain intensity explained the global disability degree and its domains except for the cognitive one. Whereas, depression explained cognitive and personal relation domains. On the other hand, alexithymia explained global disability degree and all domains of WHODAS 2.0 questionnaire.

Conclusions

Most of the patients with fibromyalgia perceived themselves with moderate to severe disability. The main explanatory variables of the perceived disability were the pain intensity and psychological factors (alexithymia and depression).