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Aderibigbe T, Kelleher SL, Henderson WA, Prescott S, Young EE, Lucas RF. COMT Variants are Associated With Breast and Nipple Pain. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2024:104568. [PMID: 38763257 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2024.104568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024]
Abstract
Estimates suggest that only 24.9% of infants born in 2019 were exclusively breastfed before 6 months of age, despite the known health benefits of exclusive breastfeeding. Breast and nipple pain is one of the primary determinants of exclusive breastfeeding. Environmental contributions to breastfeeding success have been reported extensively in the literature, but the contribution(s) of maternal genetics has yet to be discovered. The purpose of the study was to identify an association between pain and lactation-related gene variants with exclusive breastfeeding determinants. We selected 4 genes having single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with potential functional significance in breastfeeding and pain: prolactin receptor (PRLR), oxytocin receptor (OXTR), catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), and milk fat globule epidermal growth factor and factor V/VIII domain containing (MFGE8). We performed a cross-sectional secondary analysis of a longitudinal randomized controlled trial study, Promoting Self-Management of Breast and Nipple Pain with Biomarkers and Technology for Breastfeeding Women (NCT05262920). Breast and nipple pain, perceived insufficient milk, and breastfeeding self-efficacy were examined using total scale scores for the Brief Pain Inventory, Visual Analog Scale, H&H Lactation Scale, and the Breastfeeding Self-efficacy Scale-short form, respectively. Of the candidate genes examined, SNPs within COMT were significantly associated with breastfeeding-related outcomes. Specifically, COMT rs4633 and rs4680 minor allele carriers (T, A) reported higher breast and nipple pain intensity than women homozygous for the major allele (C, G). COMT is the most widely researched "pain gene" and has been linked to cold, postoperative, and postpartum pain. This study is the first to identify a contribution of COMT variants to breast and nipple pain and, as a result, to breastfeeding exclusivity. PERSPECTIVE: Two SNPs in the pain gene COMT are associated with breast and nipple pain. Clinically, a minor allele in COMT rs4633 and rs4680 may increase a woman's rating of moderate breast and nipple pain. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROMPT was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov (protocol #NCT05262920).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shannon L Kelleher
- Department of Biomedical and Nutritional Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, Massachusetts
| | - Wendy A Henderson
- School of Nursing, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut; School of Medicine, University of Connecticut, Farmington, Connecticut
| | | | - Erin E Young
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pain and Perioperative Medicine, University of Kansas School of Medicine, KU Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas
| | - Ruth F Lucas
- School of Nursing, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut; School of Medicine, University of Connecticut, Farmington, Connecticut.
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García-González D, Medino-Muñoz J, Romero-Elías M, García-Foncillas J, Ruiz-Casado A. Biological mechanisms of cancer-related fatigue in breast cancer survivors after treatment: a scoping review. J Cancer Surviv 2023:10.1007/s11764-023-01477-z. [PMID: 37930591 DOI: 10.1007/s11764-023-01477-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is the most common symptom experienced by cancer survivors. It is a multidimensional symptom affecting physical, emotional, and/or cognitive spheres, different from other types of fatigue. Characteristically is not alleviated by sleep or rest. CRF could have specific features in breast cancer survivors (BCS), because of sex, hormones, and distinct treatments. On the other hand, more than 25% of BCS report persistent CRF for 10 years or more after the diagnosis. The present study aims to recapitulate the knowledge about the biological mechanisms that potentially drive CRF in BCS after treatment. METHODS To answer a broad question, a scoping review methodology was used. Data were collated from three bibliographic databases: PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL). Studies were selected if they had included more than 20 BCS, after finishing their treatment, fatigue was measured with a quantitative scale and biomarkers were analyzed. RESULTS The final database was composed of 1896 records. Sixty-four studies finally met the eligibility criteria. Inflammation (61%), hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation (14%), autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysfunction (11%), and diet (9%) were the biological pathways most frequently studied. Unfortunately, results from studies about inflammation and HPA axis show many inconsistencies. CONCLUSION More research about the role of ANS dysfunction and diet on the pathogenesis of CRF would be warranted according to the results of the review. There are some fields such as endocannabinoid systems, mitochondrial dysfunction, gut microbiota, and oxidative stress that have been insufficiently explored. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS To widen the scope of future research in the physiopathology of CRF, it is necessary to identify mechanisms that would be potentially involved and have been insufficiently explored. Because of the high prevalence of CRF in BCS and the tremendous impact that fatigue has in their quality of life, it is essential to improve the efficacy of the treatments through a good knowledge of the biological basis of CRF.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Juan Medino-Muñoz
- Library, Hospital Universitario de Fuenlabrada, 28942, Madrid, Spain
| | - María Romero-Elías
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Puerta de Hierro-Segovia de Arana, IDIPHISA, 28222, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jesús García-Foncillas
- School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), 28029, Madrid, Spain
- Translational Oncology Division, Oncohealth Institute, IIS-Fundación Jiménez Díaz-UAM, 28040, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Fundación Jiménez Díaz, UAM, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana Ruiz-Casado
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Puerta de Hierro-Segovia de Arana, IDIPHISA, 28222, Madrid, Spain.
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda, IDIPHISA, 28222, Madrid, Spain.
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Haas JW, Ongaro G, Jacobson E, Conboy LA, Nee J, Iturrino J, Rangan V, Lembo A, Kaptchuk TJ, Ballou S. Patients' experiences treated with open-label placebo versus double-blind placebo: a mixed methods qualitative study. BMC Psychol 2022; 10:20. [PMID: 35120572 PMCID: PMC8815135 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-022-00731-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background There is increasing evidence suggesting that open-label placebo (OLP) is an effective treatment for several medical conditions defined by self-report. However, little is known about patients’ experiences with OLP, and no studies have directly compared patients’ experiences in double-blind placebo (DBP) conditions. Methods This study was nested in a large randomized-controlled trial comparing the effects of OLP and DBP treatments in individuals with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). We randomly selected 33 participants for interviews concerning their experiences in the parent trial. The data were qualitatively analyzed using an iterative immersion/crystallization approach. We then compared the qualitative interview data to the quantitative IBS severity data assessed during the parent trial, using a mixed methods approach. Results Two prominent interview themes were identified: (1) the participants’ feelings about their treatment allocation and (2) their reflections about the treatment. Both OLP and DBP participants mentioned hope and curiosity as major feelings driving them to engage with their treatment. However, while DBP participants tended to be more enthusiastic about their allocation, OLP participants were more ambivalent. Furthermore, OLP participants reflected more on their treatment, often involving noticeable cognitive and emotional processes of self-reflection. They offered a variety of explanations for their symptom improvement and were significantly less likely to attribute it to the treatment itself than DBP participants (Χ2 [3] = 8.28; p = .041). Similarly, the participants’ retrospective narratives of symptom improvement were significantly correlated with their corresponding quantitative IBS severity scores only in DBP (p’s ≤ .006) but not in OLP (p’s ≥ .637). Conclusion OLP and DBP participants share feelings of hope, uncertainty and curiosity but differ in the extent of conscious reflection. The counter-intuitive OLP prompts more self-examination, ambivalent feelings and active engagement compared to DBP. At the same time, OLP participants are more reluctant to attribute symptom improvement to their treatment. Our findings substantially add to the emerging picture of factors that distinguish OLP and DBP and their potential mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia W Haas
- Division of Gastroenterology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Ave, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.,Program in Placebo Studies, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Giulio Ongaro
- Program in Placebo Studies, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Anthropology, The London School of Economics and Political Science, London, UK
| | - Eric Jacobson
- Division of Gastroenterology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Ave, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.,Program in Placebo Studies, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lisa A Conboy
- Division of Gastroenterology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Ave, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.,Program in Placebo Studies, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Judy Nee
- Division of Gastroenterology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Ave, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Johanna Iturrino
- Division of Gastroenterology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Ave, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Vikram Rangan
- Division of Gastroenterology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Ave, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Anthony Lembo
- Division of Gastroenterology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Ave, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Ted J Kaptchuk
- Program in Placebo Studies, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sarah Ballou
- Division of Gastroenterology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Ave, Boston, MA, 02215, USA. .,Program in Placebo Studies, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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Psychological Predictors of Response to Open-Label Versus Double-Blind Placebo in a Randomized Controlled Trial in Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Psychosom Med 2022; 84:738-746. [PMID: 35412513 PMCID: PMC9271597 DOI: 10.1097/psy.0000000000001078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE There is growing evidence that open-label placebo (OLP) may be an efficacious treatment of chronic and functional conditions. However, patient-level predictors of response to OLP have not been clearly identified. The aim of this study is to evaluate the psychological predictors of response to OLP and to compare this to double-blind placebo (DBP) and no-pill control (NPC). METHODS This study is a secondary analysis of data collected in a 6-week randomized controlled trial evaluating placebo effects in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The primary outcome was change in IBS severity. Hierarchical linear regression identified predictors of placebo response in general and compared them between those randomized to OLP, DBP, and NPC. Predictor variables included personality traits, generalized anxiety, depression, visceral sensitivity (a measure of symptom-specific anxiety), and pain catastrophizing. RESULTS A total of 210 participants (mean age = 42.3 years, 73.3% female) were included. Regression models revealed that visceral sensitivity was a predictor of response to OLP and NPC but not DBP. Interestingly, the effects were opposite, with high visceral sensitivity predicting less improvement in NPC and more improvement in OLP. Pain catastrophizing was a negative predictor of response to OLP (i.e., high pain catastrophizing was associated with less improvement in OLP). Neither visceral sensitivity nor pain catastrophizing played a significant role for response to DBP. CONCLUSIONS IBS participants who score low on the Pain Catastrophizing Scale but high on the Visceral Sensitivity Index seem to benefit particularly from OLP. Our study suggests that different psychological mechanisms may be involved in DBP and OLP interventions.
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