Assessing the prevalence of autoimmune, endocrine, gynecologic, and psychiatric comorbidities in an ethnically diverse cohort of female fibromyalgia patients: does the time from hysterectomy provide a clue?

Milnacipran poorly modulates pain in patients suffering from fibromyalgia: a randomized double-blind controlled study

Introduction

Fibromyalgia is characterized by widespread and chronic pain, and its prevalence is increasing worldwide. Milnacipran, an antidepressant, is often prescribed for fibromyalgia with a possible beneficial effect on central pain modulation. The aim of this study was to evaluate if milnacipran could modify the status of conditioned pain modulation (CPM) in patients suffering from fibromyalgia.

Design and setting

Randomized, double-blind controlled trial.

Subjects and methods

Women with fibromyalgia received milnacipran 100 mg or placebo. The primary end point was the evolution of CPM with treatments after a 30-second painful stimulus. Secondary outcomes included the predictability of milnacipran efficacy from CPM performance, evolution of global pain, mechanical sensitivity, thermal pain threshold, mechanical allodynia, cognitive function, and tolerance.

Results

Fifty-four women with fibromyalgia (46.7±10.6 years) were included and randomized, and 24 patients were analyzed in each group. At inclusion, CPM was dysfunctional (CPM₃₀=-0.5±1.9), and global pain was 6.5±1.8. After treatment, there was a nonsignificant CPM difference between milnacipran and placebo (CPM₃₀=-0.46±1.22 vs -0.69±1.43, respectively, p=0.55) and 18.8% vs 6.3% (p=0.085) patients did reactivate CPM after milnacipran vs placebo. Initial CPM was not a predictor of milnacipran efficacy. Global pain, mechanical and thermal thresholds, allodynia, cognition, and tolerance were not significantly different between both groups.

Conclusion

Milnacipran did not display a significant analgesic effect after 1-month treatment, but the tendency of milnacipran to reactivate CPM in a number of patients must be explored with longer treatment duration in future studies and pleads for possible subtypes of fibromyalgia patients.

Evaluation of sleep disorder and its effect on sexual dysfunction in patients with Fibromyalgia syndrome

Objective:

Sexual problems are commonly seen in women with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). The objective of this study was to reveal the relationship between the severity of symptoms, sleep disorder, and sexual dysfunction in women with FMS.

Materials and Methods:

A total of 140 sexually active women with FMS aged 17-67 years who presented to our physical medicine and rehabilitation outpatient clinic between January 2016 and June 2016 were enrolled in the study. The patients’ age, height, body weight, body mass index (BMI), and general pain score [visual analogue scale, (VAS)] for the last 1 week were recorded. The patients were given three different sets of questionnaires: the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), and Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI).

Results:

The mean age of the patients was 40.3±8.5 years; the mean BMI was 27.1±4.4 kg/m², VAS (last 1 week) was 6.9±2 cm, the mean PSQI was 24.8±10.8 (one patient with PSQI ≤5), FIQ was 65.9±19.2, and FSFI was 19.0±6.9. No significant relationship was observed between the mean PSQI and BMI values (p=0.401), whereas a significant relationship was found between the mean values of VAS, FIQ, and FSFI (p=0.03; p=0.034; p<0.001, respectively). In Pearson’s correlation analysis, a positive correlation was noted between PSQI and VAS (r=0.324; p<0.001) and FIQ values (r=0.271; p=0.001). A significant relationship was found between the FIQ and VAS values (p<0.001). P less than 0.005 was considered statistically significant.

Conclusion:

Sleep disorder is regarded as the underlying cause for many signs and symptoms in FMS. Sexual dysfunction may develop in women with FMS, based on the severity of the disease and poor sleep quality. We found that sleep dysfunction was significantly related with the severity of disease, pain, and sexual disfunction. We also found a positive correlation between VAS and PSQI.