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Mertens MG, Meeus M, Noten S, Verborgt O, Fransen E, Lluch Girbés E, Aguilar Rodríguez M, Navarro-Ledesma S, Fernandez-Sanchez M, Luque-Suarez A, Struyf F, Dueñas L. Understanding the clinical profile of patients with frozen shoulder: a longitudinal multicentre observational study. BMJ Open 2022; 12:e056563. [PMID: 36410809 PMCID: PMC9680192 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-056563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION There is a large diversity in the clinical presentation of frozen shoulder (FS) and the clinical outcome is not always satisfactory. The aim of the current study was to examine to what extent range of motion (ROM) limitation, metabolic factors (diabetes mellitus and thyroid disorders), autonomic symptoms and pain sensitivity may contribute to the prognosis in terms of shoulder pain and disability and quality of life in patients with FS. METHODS Patients with stage 1 or 2 FS were longitudinally followed-up during 9 months after baseline assessment. They completed six questionnaires and underwent quantitative sensory testing (pressure pain thresholds, temporal summation and conditioned pain modulation) and ROM assessment. RESULTS One hundred and forty-nine patients with FS were initially recruited and 121 completed at least one follow-up measurement. Shoulder pain and disability improved over time and diabetes mellitus was found to be a prognostic factor for final outcome. Several domains of quality of life also improved over time and external rotation ROM, diabetes mellitus, thyroid disorder and autonomic symptoms were found to be prognostic factors for final outcome. These prognostic factors explained 2.5%-6.3% of the final outcome of shoulder pain and disability and quality of life. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION In patients with FS, prognostic variables were able to predict different outcomes, indicating that outcomes in this population can be variable-dependent. Other variables not explored in this study might contribute to the prognosis of patients with FS, which should be investigated in future research. In clinical practice, baseline assessment of prognostic factors and focusing on a more holistic approach might be useful to inform healthcare practitioners about progression of patients with FS during a 9-month period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michel Gcam Mertens
- Research Group MOVANT, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy (REVAKI), University of Antwerp Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Wilrijk, Belgium
- Pain in Motion international Research Group, www.paininmotion.be, Belgium
| | - Mira Meeus
- Research Group MOVANT, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy (REVAKI), University of Antwerp Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Wilrijk, Belgium
- Pain in Motion international Research Group, www.paininmotion.be, Belgium
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Suzie Noten
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Erasmus MC University medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Rijndam Rehabilitation, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Olivier Verborgt
- Research Group MOVANT, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy (REVAKI), University of Antwerp Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Wilrijk, Belgium
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology, AZ Monica, Antwerpen, Belgium
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University Hospital Antwerp, Edegem, Belgium
| | - Erik Fransen
- StatUa Center for Statistics, University of Antwerp, Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Enrique Lluch Girbés
- Pain in Motion international Research Group, www.paininmotion.be, Belgium
- Physiotherapy in Motion, Multi-Specialty Research Group (PTinMOTION), Department of Physical Therapy, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
- Department of Physiotherapy, Human Physiology and Anatomy (KIMA), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Marta Aguilar Rodríguez
- Physiotherapy in Motion, Multi-Specialty Research Group (PTinMOTION), Department of Physical Therapy, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | | | | | | | - Filip Struyf
- Rehabilitation Sciences, Universiteit Antwerpen Campus Drie Eiken, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Lirios Dueñas
- Physiotherapy in Motion, Multi-Specialty Research Group (PTinMOTION), Department of Physical Therapy, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
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Mezhov V, Guymer E, Littlejohn G. Central Sensitivity and Fibromyalgia. Intern Med J 2021; 51:1990-1998. [PMID: 34139045 DOI: 10.1111/imj.15430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2020] [Revised: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Fibromyalgia presents with symptoms of widespread pain, fatigue, sleeping and cognitive disturbances as well as other somatic symptoms. It often overlaps with other conditions termed 'central sensitivity syndromes' such as irritable bowel syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome and temporomandibular disorder. Central sensitisation, mediated by amplified processing in the central nervous system, has been identified as the key pathogenic mechanism in these disorders. The term 'central sensitivity' can be used to collectively describe the clinical presentation of these disorders. Fibromyalgia is highly prevalent in most rheumatic diseases as well as non-rheumatic chronic diseases and if unrecognised results in high morbidity. It is diagnosed clinically after excluding important differential diagnoses. Diagnostic criteria have been developed as tools to help identify and diagnose fibromyalgia. Such tools can fulfill an important need when managing patients with rheumatic disease and other chronic diseases as a way to identify fibromyalgia and improve patient outcomes. Treatment involves an integrated approach including education, exercise, stress reduction and pharmacological therapies targeting the central nervous system. This approach is suitable for all presentations of central sensitivity and some central sensitivity syndromes have additional treatment options specific to the clinical presentation. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Mezhov
- Department of Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Rheumatology, Monash Health, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Emma Guymer
- Department of Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Rheumatology, Monash Health, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Geoffrey Littlejohn
- Department of Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Rheumatology, Monash Health, Melbourne, Australia
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de la Coba P, Bruehl S, Del Paso GAR. Slowly repeated evoked pain (SREP) as a central sensitization marker in episodic migraine patients. Sci Rep 2021; 11:4582. [PMID: 33633294 PMCID: PMC7907059 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-84157-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Migraine headache is a pain condition characterized by severe and recurrent unilateral head pain. Among other mechanisms, central pain sensitization processes seem to be involved in the disorder. An experimental protocol based on slowly repeated evoked pain (SREP) has been shown to indicate pain sensitization in fibromyalgia patients and differentiate these patients from healthy individuals and rheumatoid arthritis patients. This study examined SREP sensitization in migraine patients and explored its potential usefulness as a central sensitization marker. The SREP protocol was administered to 40 episodic migraine (EM) patients not currently experiencing a headache and 40 healthy controls. SREP consisted of a series of 9 suprathreshold painful pressure stimuli of 5 s duration and a 30 s interstimulus interval. SREP sensitization was indexed by the increase in pain ratings across the stimuli. Pain threshold, pain tolerance and temporal summation of pain were also assessed. SREP sensitization was observed in EM, but not in healthy individuals (p < .001). SREP differentiated between EM and healthy individuals with up to 75% diagnostic accuracy. Pain threshold, pain tolerance and temporal summation of pain did not show significant discriminative ability. An SREP index value of 0.5 was the most sensitive cut-off for detecting central pain sensitization when prioritizing diagnostic sensitivity (0.88). Results provide evidence for SREP as a possible central sensitization marker with potential clinical utility in migraine patients. Inclusion of SREP in Quantitative Sensory Testing protocols may enhance the assessment of altered pain modulation in different pain conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo de la Coba
- Department of Psychology, University of Jaén, 23071, Jaén, Spain.
| | - Stephen Bruehl
- Department of Anesthesiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
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Meixiong J, Dong X, Weng HJ. Neuropathic Itch. Cells 2020; 9:cells9102263. [PMID: 33050211 PMCID: PMC7601786 DOI: 10.3390/cells9102263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Revised: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurologic insults as varied as inflammation, stroke, and fibromyalgia elicit neuropathic pain and itch. Noxious sensation results when aberrantly increased afferent signaling reaches percept-forming cortical neurons and can occur due to increased sensory signaling, decreased inhibitory signaling, or a combination of both processes. To treat these symptoms, detailed knowledge of sensory transmission, from innervated end organ to cortex, is required. Molecular, genetic, and behavioral dissection of itch in animals and patients has improved understanding of the receptors, cells, and circuits involved. In this review, we will discuss neuropathic itch with a focus on the itch-specific circuit.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Meixiong
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience and Medical Scientist Training Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA;
| | - Xinzhong Dong
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Department of Dermatology, and Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA;
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Hao-Jui Weng
- Department of Dermatology, Taipei Medical University-Shuang Ho Hospital, New Taipei City 23561, Taiwan
- Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- Correspondence:
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE Chronic pain is a significant health problem that is increasing in prevalence, and advances in treatment are needed. METHODS We briefly review the leading evidence-based psychological therapies for chronic pain-cognitive-behavioral and acceptance/mindfulness-based therapies-and examine several limitations and missing perspectives of these approaches. We review six lesser-known interventions that address these limitations, and we describe our integrative model for psychological assessment and treatment of centralized pain. We present a typical patient and describe how we apply this approach, along with challenges to its implementation and possible solutions to these challenges. RESULTS Greater pain treatment efficacy may be possible if clinicians: (a) distinguish patients with primarily centralized (i.e., somatoform or nociplastic) pain from those with primarily peripheral (nociceptive, inflammatory, or neuropathic) pain; (b) acknowledge the capacity of the brain not only to modulate pain but also generate as well as attenuate or eliminate centralized pain; (c) consider the powerful role that adverse life experiences and psychological conflicts play in centralized pain; and (d) integrate emotional processing and interpersonal changes into treatment. Our integrative treatment involves delivering a progression of interventions, as needed, to achieve pain reduction: tailored pain neuroscience education, cognitive and mindfulness skills to decrease the pain danger alarm mechanism, behavioral engagement in avoided painful and other feared activities, emotional awareness and expression to reverse emotional avoidance and overcome trauma or psychological conflict, and adaptive communication to decrease interpersonal stress. CONCLUSIONS This integrative assessment and treatment model has the potential to substantially reduce and sometimes eliminate centralized pain by changing the cognitive, behavioral, emotional, and interpersonal processes that trigger and maintain centralized pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A Lumley
- From the Department of Psychology (Lumley), Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan; and Department of Internal Medicine (Schubiner), Providence-Providence Park Hospital, Ascension Health, and Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, Southfield, Michigan
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6
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Herane-Vives A, Papadopoulos A, de Angel V, Chua KC, Soto L, Chalder T, Young AH, Cleare AJ. Cortisol levels in chronic fatigue syndrome and atypical depression measured using hair and saliva specimens. J Affect Disord 2020; 267:307-314. [PMID: 32217231 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.01.146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Revised: 12/09/2019] [Accepted: 01/25/2020] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Several diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder (MDE) overlap with those of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). Furthermore, atypical MDE (A-MDE), a subtype of MDE characterised by profound fatigue and which has frequently been linked with CFS, exhibits similar low cortisol levels to CFS. However, this result has been only found in specimens designed for measuring acute cortisol levels. In this study, we measure cortisol levels in subjects with CFS and in subjects with A-MDE, without psychiatric comorbidity, using both hair and saliva specimens, to gain a measure of both short and long-term cortisol levels in these two conditions. METHODS Hair cortisol concentration, representing the cortisol concentration of the previous three months, and salivary cortisol, measured at six time-points across one day and including the cortisol awakening response (CAR), post-awakening delta cortisol and the total daily output, were assessed in an age and gender matched group of 34 controls, 15 subjects with A-MDE and 17 with CFS. RESULTS CFS (mean 92.2 nmol/l.h, s.d. 33.2 nmol/l.h) and A-MDE (mean 89.1 nmol/l.h, s.d. 22.6 nmol/l.h) subjects both showed lower cortisol total daily output in saliva (AUCg) in comparison to healthy controls (mean 125.5 nmol/l.h, s.d. 40.6 nmol/l.h). However, hair cortisol concentration was not lower than that of controls in either patient group. CFS and A-MDE did not differ from one another on any cortisol measures. CFS subjects reported fewer daily hassles and less severe psychic anxiety symptoms in comparison to A-MDE subjects (all p < 0.05). However, they did not differ in the severity of somatic anxiety symptoms. There was also no difference in the presence of overlapping symptoms such as fatigability and concentration/memory problems between A-MDE and CFS subjects. CONCLUSION Low levels of cortisol found using short-term measures of daily output may be transient, since cortisol levels were normal when a long-term measure (hair) was studied. This might be explained by a potential cortisol rhythm alteration. Although these disorders have their distinctive depressive and somatic features, they may from part of a wider group of Somatic Symptom Disorders (SSD), given the findings of the same pattern of cortisol secretion in both disorders and increased frequency of overlapping clinical features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andres Herane-Vives
- Centre for Affective Disorders(,) Department of Psychological Medicine(,) Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London(,) London(,) United Kingdom; Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience. University College of London (UCL)(,) London(,) United Kingdom.
| | - Andrew Papadopoulos
- Centre for Affective Disorders(,) Department of Psychological Medicine(,) Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London(,) London(,) United Kingdom
| | - Valeria de Angel
- Centre for Affective Disorders(,) Department of Psychological Medicine(,) Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London(,) London(,) United Kingdom
| | - Kia-Chong Chua
- Centre for Affective Disorders(,) Department of Psychological Medicine(,) Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London(,) London(,) United Kingdom
| | - Lilian Soto
- Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Chile
| | - Trudie Chalder
- Centre for Affective Disorders(,) Department of Psychological Medicine(,) Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London(,) London(,) United Kingdom
| | - Allan H Young
- Centre for Affective Disorders(,) Department of Psychological Medicine(,) Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London(,) London(,) United Kingdom
| | - Anthony J Cleare
- Centre for Affective Disorders(,) Department of Psychological Medicine(,) Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London(,) London(,) United Kingdom
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7
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Surian AA, Baraniuk JN. Systemic Hyperalgesia in Females with Gulf War Illness, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia. Sci Rep 2020; 10:5751. [PMID: 32238857 PMCID: PMC7113257 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-62771-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2019] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Pain is a diagnostic criterion for Gulf War Illness (GWI), Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), and fibromyalgia (FM). The physical sign of systemic hyperalgesia (tenderness) was assessed in 920 women who were stratified by 2000 Kansas GWI, 1994 CFS, and 1990 FM criteria. Pressure was applied by dolorimetry at 18 traditional tender points and the average pressure causing pain determined. GWI women were the most tender (2.9 ± 1.6 kg, mean ± SD, n = 70), followed by CFS/FM (3.1 ± 1.4 kg, n = 196), FM (3.9 ± 1.4 kg, n = 56), and CFS (5.8 ± 2.1 kg, n = 170) compared to controls (7.2 ± 2.4 kg, significantly highest by Mann-Whitney tests p < 0.0001, n = 428). Receiver operating characteristics set pressure thresholds of 4.0 kg to define GWI and CFS/FM (specificity 0.85, sensitivities 0.80 and 0.83, respectively), 4.5 kg for FM, and 6.0 kg for CFS. Pain, fatigue, quality of life, and CFS symptoms were equivalent for GWI, CFS/FM and CFS. Dolorimetry correlated with symptoms in GWI but not CFS or FM. Therefore, women with GWI, CFS and FM have systemic hyperalgesia compared to sedentary controls. The physical sign of tenderness may complement the symptoms of the Kansas criteria as a diagnostic criterion for GWI females, and aid in the diagnosis of CFS. Molecular mechanisms of systemic hyperalgesia may provide new insights into the neuropathology and treatments of these nociceptive, interoceptive and fatiguing illnesses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amber A Surian
- Division of Rheumatology, Immunology and Allergy, Georgetown University, 3800 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC, 20007-2197, USA
| | - James N Baraniuk
- Division of Rheumatology, Immunology and Allergy, Georgetown University, 3800 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC, 20007-2197, USA.
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8
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Herrero Babiloni A, Nixdorf DR, Moana-Filho EJ. Persistent dentoalveolar pain disorder: A putative intraoral chronic overlapping pain condition. Oral Dis 2019; 26:1601-1609. [PMID: 31797486 DOI: 10.1111/odi.13248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2019] [Revised: 11/05/2019] [Accepted: 11/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Chronic overlapping pain conditions (COPCs) are conditions that share several clinical characteristics and symptomatology, are usually considered idiopathic in nature, and are frequently comorbid. Currently, there are no established inclusion criteria to determine which conditions should be included under this umbrella term despite different systems proposed. Persistent dentoalveolar pain disorder (PDAP), also referred to as atypical odontalgia and thought to be a component of persistent idiopathic facial pain, is a chronic pain condition that manifests as a persistent tooth pain or pain over a dentoalveolar site formerly occupied by a tooth in the absence of detectable pathology during clinical or radiological examination. PDAP is considered idiopathic in nature, and its pathophysiological mechanisms are not fully understood. Our objective was to investigate whether PDAP fits the conceptual paradigm of COPC given its characteristics and commonalities with other COPC, based on published literature identified through a scoping review. We found that PDAP fits 16 out of 18 common characteristics among COPCs, and based on this finding, we discuss the implications of PDAP being considered a COPC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Herrero Babiloni
- Research Center, Hôpital du Sacré-Coeur de Montréal, CIUSSS du Nord-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Université De Montréal, Montreal, Canada.,Division of Experimental Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Donald R Nixdorf
- Division of TMD and Orofacial Pain, School of Dentistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.,Department of Neurology, Medical School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.,HealthPartners Institute for Education and Research, Bloomington, MN, USA
| | - Estephan J Moana-Filho
- Division of TMD and Orofacial Pain, School of Dentistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
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Abstract
Itching can result from activity of specialized primary afferent neurons (“pruriceptors”) that have been shown to express certain molecular markers such as B-type natriuretic peptide and several members of the Mrgpr-family in rodents. On the other hand, neurons involved in pain processing (“nociceptors”) can also provoke itching when the activation site is restricted to an isolated tiny spot within the epidermis. Individuals classified as having sensitive skin report increased itching and pain sensations upon weak external stimuli that are not painful or itchy in the control group. Numerous possible factors could contribute to sensitive skin along the pathway of transduction of the external stimuli into peripheral neuronal signals, followed by neuronal processing, finally resulting in the perception: (a) reduced local protective factors leading to impaired skin barrier function, (b) increased production of excitatory skin mediators, (c) sensitized peripheral neurons, (d) facilitated spinal and central processing, and (e) reduced descending inhibition from the central nervous system. For all of those pathophysiological mechanisms there are clinical examples such as atopic dermatitis (a,b,c), neuropathic itching (c,e), and restless leg syndrome (d,e). However, none of these factors have been directly linked to the occurrence of sensitive skin. Moreover, individuals reporting sensitive skin are heterogeneous and a subpopulation with defined pathophysiology has not yet been identified. Given that the condition is reported in about 50% of women, and thereby includes many healthy individuals, it appears problematic to assign a definitive pathophysiological mechanism to it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Schmelz
- Department Experimental Pain Research, CBTM, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
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10
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den Boer C, Dries L, Terluin B, van der Wouden JC, Blankenstein AH, van Wilgen CP, Lucassen P, van der Horst HE. Central sensitization in chronic pain and medically unexplained symptom research: A systematic review of definitions, operationalizations and measurement instruments. J Psychosom Res 2019; 117:32-40. [PMID: 30665594 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2018.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2018] [Revised: 12/05/2018] [Accepted: 12/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Central sensitization (CS), a mechanism explaining the persistence of symptoms, has been the focus of many research projects. Explanations given to patients with chronic pain are often based on this mechanism. It is hypothesized that CS also plays an important role in the persistence of medically unexplained symptoms (MUS). However, definitions and operationalizations of CS vary. We conducted a systematic review of definitions, operationalizations and measurement instruments of CS. METHODS We searched in PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Cinahl and The Cochrane Library till September 2017 and included papers that addressed CS in relation to chronic pain and/or MUS. Two reviewers independently selected, analysed and classified information from the selected publications. We performed a thematic analysis of definitions and operationalizations. We listed the measurement instruments. RESULTS We included 126 publications, 79 publications concerned chronic pain, 47 publications concerned MUS. Definitions of CS consistently encompass the theme hyperexcitability of the central nervous system (CNS). Additional themes are variably present: CNS locations, nature of sensory input, reduced inhibition and activation and modulation of the NDMA receptor. Hyperalgesia and allodynia are widely mentioned as operationalizations of CS. Quantitative sensory testing (QST) and (f)MRI are the most reported measurement instruments. CONCLUSIONS There is consensus that hyperexcitability is the central mechanism of CS. Operationalizations are based on this mechanism and additional components. There are many measurement instruments available, whose clinical value has still to be determined. There were no systematic differences in definitions and operationalizations between the publications addressing MUS and those addressing chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carine den Boer
- Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of general practice and elderly care medicine, Amsterdam Public Health research institute, the Netherlands.
| | - Linne Dries
- Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of general practice and elderly care medicine, Amsterdam Public Health research institute, the Netherlands
| | - Berend Terluin
- Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of general practice and elderly care medicine, Amsterdam Public Health research institute, the Netherlands
| | - Johannes C van der Wouden
- Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of general practice and elderly care medicine, Amsterdam Public Health research institute, the Netherlands
| | - Annette H Blankenstein
- Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of general practice and elderly care medicine, Amsterdam Public Health research institute, the Netherlands
| | - C Paul van Wilgen
- Transcare, transdisciplinary pain management centre, Groningen, the Netherlands; Pain in Motion International Research Group, Department of Physiotherapy, Physiology and Anatomy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Peter Lucassen
- Radboud University Medical Center, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Department of Primary and Community care, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Henriëtte E van der Horst
- Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of general practice and elderly care medicine, Amsterdam Public Health research institute, the Netherlands
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Emotional awareness and expression therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and education for fibromyalgia: a cluster-randomized controlled trial. Pain 2018; 158:2354-2363. [PMID: 28796118 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 124] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Patients with fibromyalgia (FM) experience increased lifetime levels of psychosocial adversity, trauma, and emotional conflict. To address these risk factors, we developed emotion awareness and expression therapy (EAET) and tested its benefits against an active control condition, FM education, and the field's gold standard intervention for FM, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for symptom management. Adults with FM (N = 230) formed 40 treatment groups, which were randomized to EAET, CBT, or education and given 8, 90-minute sessions. Patient-reported outcomes were assessed at baseline, posttreatment, and 6-month follow-up (primary end point). Retention of patients to follow-up was excellent (90.4%). Intent-to-treat analyses indicated that although EAET did not differ from FM education on pain severity (primary outcome), EAET had significantly better outcomes than FM education on overall symptoms, widespread pain, physical functioning, cognitive dysfunction, anxiety, depression, positive affect, and life satisfaction (between-condition d's ranging from 0.29-0.45 SD) and the percentage of patients reporting being "very much/much" improved (34.8% vs 15.4%). Emotional awareness and expression therapy did not differ from CBT on the primary or most secondary outcomes, but compared to CBT, EAET led to significantly lower FM symptoms (d = 0.35) and widespread pain (d = 0.37) and a higher percentage of patients achieving 50% pain reduction (22.5% vs 8.3%). In summary, an intervention targeting emotional awareness and expression related to psychosocial adversity and conflict was well received, more effective than a basic educational intervention, and had some advantages over CBT on pain. We conclude that EAET should be considered as an additional treatment option for FM.
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12
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Ziadni MS, Carty JN, Doherty HK, Porcerelli JH, Rapport LJ, Schubiner H, Lumley MA. A life-stress, emotional awareness, and expression interview for primary care patients with medically unexplained symptoms: A randomized controlled trial. Health Psychol 2017; 37:282-290. [PMID: 29154608 DOI: 10.1037/hea0000566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Lifetime trauma, relationship adversities, and emotional conflicts are elevated in primary care patients with medically unexplained symptoms (MUS), and these risk factors likely trigger or exacerbate symptoms. Helping patients disclose stressors, increase awareness and expression of inhibited emotions, and link emotions to physical symptoms may improve health. We developed an emotional awareness and expression interview that targets stressful life experiences and conflicts and then tested its effects on primary care patients with MUS. METHOD Patients (N = 75) with MUS were recruited at a family medicine clinic and randomized to an interview condition or treatment-as-usual (TAU) control condition. In a single 90-min interview in the clinic, the interviewer elicited disclosure of the patient's stressors, linked them to the patient's symptom history, and encouraged emotional awareness and expression about unresolved relationship trauma or conflict. At baseline and 6-week follow-up, patients completed self-report measures of their physical and psychological health. RESULTS Analyses of covariance, controlling for baseline symptoms, compared patients in the interview condition with TAU at 6-week follow-up. Compared with TAU, the interview led to significantly lower pain severity, pain interference, sleep problems, and global psychological symptoms. CONCLUSIONS This study provides preliminary evidence for the value of integrating a disclosure and emotional awareness and expression interview into the primary care setting for patients with MUS. (PsycINFO Database Record
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13
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Maixner W, Fillingim RB, Williams DA, Smith SB, Slade GD. Overlapping Chronic Pain Conditions: Implications for Diagnosis and Classification. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2017; 17:T93-T107. [PMID: 27586833 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2016.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 290] [Impact Index Per Article: 41.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2015] [Revised: 06/01/2016] [Accepted: 06/06/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED There is increasing recognition that many if not most common chronic pain conditions are heterogeneous with a high degree of overlap or coprevalence of other common pain conditions along with influences from biopsychosocial factors. At present, very little attention is given to the high degree of overlap of many common pain conditions when recruiting for clinical trials. As such, many if not most patients enrolled into clinical studies are not representative of most chronic pain patients. The failure to account for the heterogeneous and overlapping nature of most common pain conditions may result in treatment responses of small effect size when these treatments are administered to patients with chronic overlapping pain conditions (COPCs) represented in the general population. In this brief review we describe the concept of COPCs and the putative mechanisms underlying COPCs. Finally, we present a series of recommendations that will advance our understanding of COPCs. PERSPECTIVE This brief review describes the concept of COPCs. A mechanism-based heuristic model is presented and current knowledge and evidence for COPCs are presented. Finally, a set of recommendations is provided to advance our understanding of COPCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Maixner
- Center for Pain Research and Innovation, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Center for Translational Pain Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina.
| | - Roger B Fillingim
- Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - David A Williams
- Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Shad B Smith
- Center for Pain Research and Innovation, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Center for Translational Pain Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Gary D Slade
- Center for Pain Research and Innovation, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Dental Ecology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
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Gandhi W, Morrison I, Schweinhardt P. How Accurate Appraisal of Behavioral Costs and Benefits Guides Adaptive Pain Coping. Front Psychiatry 2017; 8:103. [PMID: 28659834 PMCID: PMC5467009 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2017.00103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2016] [Accepted: 05/26/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Coping with pain is a complex phenomenon encompassing a variety of behavioral responses and a large network of underlying neural circuits. Whether pain coping is adaptive or maladaptive depends on the type of pain (e.g., escapable or inescapable), personal factors (e.g., individual experiences with coping strategies in the past), and situational circumstances. Keeping these factors in mind, costs and benefits of different strategies have to be appraised and will guide behavioral decisions in the face of pain. In this review we present pain coping as an unconscious decision-making process during which accurately evaluated costs and benefits lead to adaptive pain coping behavior. We emphasize the importance of passive coping as an adaptive strategy when dealing with ongoing pain and thus go beyond the common view of passivity as a default state of helplessness. In combination with passive pain coping, we highlight the role of the reward system in reestablishing affective homeostasis and discuss existing evidence on a behavioral and neural level. We further present neural circuits involved in the decision-making process of pain coping when circumstances are ambiguous and, therefore, costs and benefits are difficult to anticipate. Finally, we address the wider implications of this topic by discussing its relevance for chronic pain patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wiebke Gandhi
- Faculty of Dentistry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.,The Alan Edwards Center for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.,School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, Centre for Integrative Neuroscience and Neurodynamics, University of Reading, Reading, United Kingdom
| | - India Morrison
- Center for Affective and Social Neuroscience, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Petra Schweinhardt
- Faculty of Dentistry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.,The Alan Edwards Center for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Interdisciplinary Spinal Research Group, Balgrist University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
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15
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Donnelly TJ, Jaaniste T. Attachment and Chronic Pain in Children and Adolescents. CHILDREN-BASEL 2016; 3:children3040021. [PMID: 27792141 PMCID: PMC5184796 DOI: 10.3390/children3040021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2016] [Revised: 10/12/2016] [Accepted: 10/17/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Although attachment theory is not new, its theoretical implications for the pediatric chronic pain context have not been thoroughly considered, and the empirical implications and potential clinical applications are worth exploring. The attachment framework broadly focuses on interactions between a child’s developing self-regulatory systems and their caregiver’s responses. These interactions are believed to create a template for how individuals will relate to others in the future, and may help account for normative and pathological patterns of emotions and behavior throughout life. This review outlines relevant aspects of the attachment framework to the pediatric chronic pain context. The theoretical and empirical literature is reviewed regarding the potential role of attachment-based constructs such as vulnerability and maintaining factors of pediatric chronic pain. The nature and targets of attachment-based pediatric interventions are considered, with particular focus on relevance for the pediatric chronic pain context. The potential role of attachment style in the transition from acute to chronic pain is considered, with further research directions outlined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theresa J Donnelly
- Department of Pain & Palliative Care, Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia.
| | - Tiina Jaaniste
- Department of Pain & Palliative Care, Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia.
- School of Women's and Children's Health, University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia.
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Littlejohn GO, Guymer EK, Ngian GS. Is there a role for opioids in the treatment of fibromyalgia? Pain Manag 2016; 6:347-55. [PMID: 27296831 DOI: 10.2217/pmt-2016-0012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of opioids for chronic pain has increased significantly due to a combination of the high patient burden of pain and the more widespread availability of a range of long-acting opioid preparations. This increased opioid use has translated into the care of many patients with fibromyalgia. The pain mechanism in fibromyalgia is complex but does not seem to involve disturbance of opioid analgesic functions. Hence, there is general concern about the harms in the absence of benefits of opioids in this setting. There is no evidence that pure opioids are effective in fibromyalgia but there is some evidence that opioids with additional actions on the norepinephrine-related pain modulatory pathways, such as tramadol, can be clinically useful in some patients. Novel actions of low-dose opioid antagonists may lead to better understanding of the role of opioid function in fibromyalgia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geoffrey O Littlejohn
- Departments of Medicine & Rheumatology, Monash University & Monash Health, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Emma K Guymer
- Departments of Medicine & Rheumatology, Monash University & Monash Health, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Gene-Siew Ngian
- Departments of Medicine & Rheumatology, Monash University & Monash Health, Melbourne, Australia
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