Associations among serum VEGF and CGRP levels with the peripheral vascular blood flow of the skin of the hands in women with Fibromyalgia

Application of infrared thermography in assessing presence and severity of intra-abdominal adhesions

Abdominal surgeries can sometimes lead to the formation of intra-abdominal adhesions, which may result in severe complications. Despite the availability of several diagnostic procedures, thermography has not been used for identifying intra-abdominal adhesions. Therefore, the objective of the current study was to assess abdominal temperature changes in rats with experimentally induced intra-abdominal adhesions. A total of 48 female rats were randomly divided into 4 groups (n = 12 each): Control (Group C), Laparotomy (Group Lap), Peritoneal Button Creation (Group PBC), and Uterus horn (Group UH). Skin temperature of abdominal region was measured before the procedure (T0) and daily thereafter until day 7 (T7). On day 7, all rats were euthanized for macroscopic evaluation, adhesion scoring, histopathological, immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence analyses. Significant differences were observed between Group C and Group PBC and Group UH at T5, while at T6 and T7, there was a difference between Group C and Group Lap, Group PBC, and Group UH in abdominal skin temperature (P < 0.05). The highest level of inflammation, angiogenesis, IL-1β, and VEGF were observed in Group PBC followed by Group UH, Group Lap, and Group C (P < 0.05). There was a significant difference in adhesion formation between Group C and Groups Lap, PBC, and UH (P = 0.02). However, no significant difference was found in adhesion scores between Groups Lap, PBC, and UH (P = 0.25). A significant difference was found in mean abdominal skin temperature between adhesion scores 4 and 0, 1, and 2 (P < 0.05), while no significant difference was observed between adhesion scores 3 and 4 (P > 0.05). In conclusion, the current study suggests that the presence of intra-abdominal adhesions is associated with an increase in abdominal temperature, and this increase is correlates with the severity of adhesion.

Vasodilatory Peripheral Response and Pain Levels following Radiofrequency Stressor Application in Women with Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a syndrome of unknown pathogenesis that presents, among other symptoms, chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain. This study aims to analyze the effects of radiofrequency on core body temperature and the peripheral temperature of the dorsal surfaces and palms of the hands and its association with pain levels in patients with FM. A case-control observational study was conducted with a total of twenty-nine women diagnosed with FM and seventeen healthy women. Capacitive monopolar radiofrequency was applied to the palms of the hands using the Biotronic Advance Develops device. Peripheral hand temperature was analyzed using a thermographic camera, and core body temperature was analyzed with an infrared scanner. Pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) and electrical pain were recorded with an algometer and a Pain Matcher device, respectively. A significant decrease was observed in women with FM in pain electrical threshold (95% CI [0.01-3.56], p = 0.049), electrical pain (95% CI [2.87-10.43], p = 0.002), dominant supraspinatus PPT (95% CI [0.04-0.52], p = 0.023), non-dominant supraspinatus PPT (95% CI [0.03-0.60], p = 0.029), and non-dominant tibial PPT (95% CI [0.05-0.89], p = 0.031). Women with FM have increased hypersensitivity to pain as well as increased peripheral temperature after exposure to a thermal stimulus, such as radiofrequency, which could indicate disorders of their neurovascular response.