Clinical rheumatology
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Clinical rheumatology · Jun 2012
Role of psychological aspects in both chronic pain and in daily functioning in chronic fatigue syndrome: a prospective longitudinal study.
In addition to fatigue, many patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) experience chronic musculoskeletal pain. We aimed at examining the role of catastrophizing, coping, kinesiophobia, and depression in the chronic pain complaints and in the daily functioning of CFS patients. A consecutive sample of 103 CFS patients experiencing chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain completed a battery of questionnaires evaluating pain, daily functioning, and psychological characteristics (depression, kinesiophobia, pain coping, and catastrophizing). ⋯ Depression was the main predictor for restrictions in daily functioning (23.1%) at baseline. Pain catastrophizing and depression were immediate and long-term main predictors for pain in patients with CFS having chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain. They were also correlated to daily functioning, with depression as the main predictor for restrictions in daily functioning at baseline.
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Clinical rheumatology · Jun 2012
Relationship between the body image and level of pain, functional status, severity of depression, and quality of life in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome.
The aims were to investigate how the body image is affected in fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) in comparison to healthy people, as well as to explore the relationship of the body image with the level of pain, functional status, severity of depression, and quality of life (QoL). Demographic variables, symptoms of fibromyalgia, and number of fibromyalgia tender points for 51 patients with FMS and 41 control subjects were recorded. All patients were asked to mark the level of pain on visual analogue scale (VAS). ⋯ Body image was associated with VAS in the multivariate linear regression analysis. The results of the present study indicate that body image is disturbed in patients with FMS compared to control subjects. For the evaluation of the level of pain, impact of the disease, and QoL in patients with FMS, it would be useful to consider the relationship of the body image disturbance with these parameters.
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Clinical rheumatology · Jun 2012
Translation, adaptation and validation of the Moroccan version of the Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale.
This study aims to translate and cross-culturally adapt the Moroccan version of the Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale (QDS) and to investigate its reliability and validity in Moroccan patients with low back pain (LBP). The translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the QDS were developed in agreement with published guidelines. The QDS was translated by use of the forward and backward translation procedure. ⋯ The correlation between QDS and RMDQ was very good (r = 0.664; p ≤ 0.001). There was no correlation between QDS and the other variables. Accordingly, the Moroccan version of QDS has good reproducibility, internal consistency and validity for the assessment of disability in Moroccan-speaking patients with LBP.
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Clinical rheumatology · May 2012
Clinical TrialTreatment of fibromyalgia at the Maharishi Ayurveda Health Centre in Norway II--a 24-month follow-up pilot study.
Treatments offered at the Maharishi Ayurveda Health Centre in Norway are based on Maharishi Vedic Medicine (MVM). MVM is a consciousness-based revival by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the founder of the Transcendental Meditation (TM) program of the ancient Ayurvedic medicine tradition in India. To extend from 6 to 24 months, a pilot study of the effects of the treatment program at the Health Centre on fibromyalgia. ⋯ The 7th, depression, decreased 32% (borderline significant). At 24 months, the four subjects who continued practising TM, had almost no symptoms and significantly lower FIQ change scores (-92% to 97%) than the non-meditators on all outcomes. This pilot study suggests that the treatments and health promotion programs offered at the Maharishi Ayurveda Health Centre in Norway lead to long-term reductions in symptoms of fibromyalgia, which is considered a treatment-resistant condition, and further studies are warranted.
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Clinical rheumatology · May 2012
Interferon-gamma release assays in the detection of latent tuberculosis infection in patients with inflammatory arthritis scheduled for anti-tumour necrosis factor treatment.
Biological agents, particularly anti-Tumour Necrosis Factor (TNF)-α agents, have emerged as an effective treatment in patients with chronic inflammatory diseases. An association between anti-TNF-α antibodies and reactivation of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) has been established. Appropriate screening for TB infection has become mandatory before starting a treatment based on TNF-α inhibition. ⋯ Positive TST, T-SPOT. TB and QFN-G-IT results were not affected by the immunosuppressive therapies. IFN-γ release assays are useful methods for avoiding TST false-positive results, but in those patients with a high risk of developing active TB and in the absence of predictive value studies in this specific kind of population for knowing how safe is the use of IGRAs alone, the combined use of TST and IFN-γ tests should be recommended in order to increase the overall number of LTBI diagnoses.