Study from pub med about sleep and fibromyalgia

Study of the role of sleep with Fibro
The role of sleep in affect and in negative event reactivity and recovery.Hamilton NA, Affleck G, Tennen H, Karlson C, Luxton D, Preacher KJ, Templin JL.Department of Psychology, University of Kansas.

Objective: Fibromyalgia (FM) syndrome is a chronic pain condition characterized by diffuse muscle pain, increased negative mood, and sleep disturbance. Until recently, sleep disturbance in persons with FM has been modeled as the result of the disease process or its associated pain. The current study examined sleep disturbance (i.e., sleep duration and sleep quality) as a predictor of daily affect, stress reactivity, and stress recovery.

Design and Measures: A hybrid of daily diary and ecological momentary assessment methodology was used to evaluate the psychosocial functioning of 89 women with FM. Participants recorded numeric ratings of pain, fatigue, and positive and negative affect 3 times throughout the day for 30 consecutive days. At the end of each day, participants completed daily diary records of positive and negative life events. In addition, participants reported on their sleep duration and sleep quality each morning.

Results: After accounting for the effects of positive events, negative events, and pain on daily affect scores, it was found that sleep duration and quality were prospectively related to affect and fatigue. Furthermore, the effects of inadequate sleep on negative affect were cumulative. In addition, an inadequate amount of sleep prevented affective recovery from days with a high number of negative events.

Conclusions: These results lend support to the hypothesis that sleep is a component of allostatic load and has an upstream role in daily functioning. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2008 APA, all rights reserved).

Can Duloxetine Help Fibromyalgia, Study from PubMed

Duloxetine for the treatment of fibromyalgia in women: pooled results from two randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials.

Background:

To assess the efficacy (in particular, in pain, functional impairment, and quality of life) and safety and tolerability (incidence of adverse events, discontinuation rates, changes in laboratory findings, and vital signs) of duloxetine in female patients with fibromyalgia.

Methods: Data were pooled from two placebo-controlled clinical trials of similar design (randomized, 12-week, and double-blind), comparing duloxetine 60 mg a day (q.d.) or 60 mg twice daily (b.i.d.) (n = 326) with placebo (n = 212), in women who met the American College of Rheumatology criteria for primary fibromyalgia.

Results: Compared with the patients receiving placebo, duloxetine-treated female patients demonstrated a significantly greater improvement in the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) average pain severity score and in the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) total score, beginning at week 1 and continuing through week 12 (p < 0.001). Duloxetine was superior to placebo on all efficacy measures, including mean tender point threshold, Clinical Global Impression of Severity, Patient Global Impression of Improvement, and average interference from pain scores. The duloxetine-treated group was superior to placebo on all quality of life and functional measures, including each domain of the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 (SF-36). A direct treatment effect of duloxetine on pain reduction was demonstrated and shown to be independent of secondary improvement in mood (based on BPI average pain score). Significantly more duloxetine-treated patients reported treatment-emergent adverse events (296 [90.8%] duloxetine-treated and 165 [77.8%] placebo-treated, p < 0.001).

Rates of serious adverse events were similar between duloxetine-treated and placebo-treated patients.

Conclusions: The pooled results of these studies demonstrate that duloxetine is a safe and efficacious treatment for both the pain and functional impairment associated with fibromyalgia in female patients, while significantly improving quality of life.

Interesting study with Fibromyalgia in Children

Fibromyalgia syndrome in young children: onset at age 10 years and younger.
Eraso RM, Bradford NJ, Fontenot CN, Espinoza LR, Gedalia A.
Department of Pediatrics, LSU Health Sciences Center and Children's Hospital, New Orleans, USA.

OBJECTIVE:To report our experience of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) in young children with onset at age 10 years and younger as compared to older children.

METHODS:Clinical and laboratory data were reviewed in all patients that had been diagnosed with FMS between November 1994 and March 2003. Patients with onset above the of age 18 years, and patients with FMS and concomitant rheumatic diseases were excluded from this study. The study population included two groups: group "A", young children with onset at age 10 years and under and group "B", children with onset above 10 years old. A questionnaire was used at follow-up visits or by telephone interview to evaluate the outcome.

RESULTS:There were 148 children with the diagnosis of FMS (based on ACR criteria), of these 46 children in group A and 102 children in group B. The mean age at onset and mean age at diagnosis were 7.5 years and 10 years in group A, and 13.2 years and 14.5 years in B, respectively. The mean interval between the age of onset and the age at diagnosis was 32 months in group A, and 18 months in group B (p= 0.007). There was a predominance of female gender and Caucasian ethnicity in both groups. Diffuse aching was reported in all patients in both groups. Stiffness, subjective joint swelling, abdominal pain and initial presentation on wheelchair were found more frequently in group A, compared with group B (p= 0.03, 0.001, 0.01, 0.03 respectively). The mean count of tender points at diagnosis was higher in group A, compared with group B (15.3 vs. 14.2, p = 0.004). The differences of other clinical features and laboratory tests in both groups were not statistically significant. Thirty-six patients in group A (78%) and 83 in group B (81%) were available for one or more follow-up visits and/or telephone interview. The mean follow-up period was 14 months in group A, and 19 months in group B (p value = 0.3). There was no difference in the type of treatment or outcome in both groups.

CONCLUSION:FMS in young children of 10 years old and younger is frequently under-recognized. As compared with the older group, stiffness, subjective joint swelling, abdominal pain, initial presentation on wheelchair and a higher mean count of tender points at diagnosis were significantly more common in the younger age group. However, the type of medications used and outcome were similar in both groups. Prospective studies with large patient population are needed to clarify these findings.
PMID: 17888225

To see about natural treatments for kids or adults with fms visit http://www.ridfibromyalgia.com/.

Would this Help Fibromyalgia Sufferers With Brain Fog??

I found this little study and thought it was interesting in that maybe this would help with brain fog. We talk about daily meditation in our fibromyalgia ebook. There are many fibromyalgia symptoms that meditation can help with. Let us know if you have tried meditation and your results at info@ridfibromyalgia.com.

Improve Your Concentration

Researchers have found that even short periods of daily meditation can improve both focus and performance.
Subjects in a study were split into two categories. The first, consisting of those new to meditation, underwent an eight-week course including 30 minutes of daily meditation.
The second group, which was composed of those already experienced with meditation, attended a full-time, one month retreat.
Even for those completely new to the practice, meditation improved performance and the ability to focus attention. Their scores on tests measuring cognitive function improved after only a few weeks.
Throughout, participants took computer tests that measured response speeds and accuracy. At the beginning of the study, those who were experienced in meditation demonstrated better voluntary focus, task management, and goal setting skills.
But after completing the eight-week course, those who were new to meditation showed greater improvement in focusing their attention.University of Pennsylvania May 9, 2007Science Daily June 26, 2007

Disability, Hope or No Hope

Found this comment about fibromyalgia and disability. Have you had any luck with getting disability? Let me know of your comments.

"At the moment, there is no entry in Social Security Disability 's Listing of Impairments manual for the condition known as Fibromyalgia, also known as fibromyositis and Myofacial Pain Syndrome (The disability listing's, of course, provide the approval criteria for a number of different impairments ranging from amputations to seizure disorder). Nevertheless, many claimants with fibromyalgia apply for disability, and many go on to win their cases. For this reason, the fibromyalgia disability claimant who's been denied should not give up on their case. Instead, they should pursue their disability claim through the appeals process, keeping in mind how the Social Security Administration views this particular impairment."

For more info on how to gain disability, visit www.ridfibromyalgia.com/how.html.

More Hope on the way for Fibromyalgia Sufferers?

*Note by Hailey, this article was copyrighted by UPI, I looked for the copyright rules and don't know if I can publish this following the rules, so I may take this article off. I am continuing to research the rights of this one.

Gabapentin may treat fibromyalgia pain
CINCINNATI, June 11 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists say the anticonvulsant medication gabapentin might be effective in treating pain and other symptoms arising from fibromyalgia.
The results stem from a randomized, double-blind study of 150 women and men with the condition, sponsored by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.
Dr. Lesley Arnold, director of the Women's Health Research Program at the University of Cincinnati's College of Medicine, and her colleagues found those taking gabapentin at dosages of 1,200 to 2,400 mg daily for 12 weeks displayed significantly less pain than those taking placebo.
Patients taking gabapentin also reported significantly better sleep and less fatigue.
"While gabapentin does not have Food and Drug Administration approval for fibromyalgia, I believe this study offers additional insight to physicians considering the drug for their fibromyalgia patients," said Dr. Stephen Katz, NIAMS director.
Fibromyalgia is a chronic disorder characterized by chronic, widespread muscle pain and tenderness, and is frequently accompanied by fatigue, insomnia, depression, and anxiety. It affects 3 million to 6 million Americans, mostly women, and can be disabling.
The research appeared in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism.
Copyright 2007 by United Press International. All Rights Reserved.

Interesting Article on Exercise and Fibromyalgia

Working past the pain For Kim Collett, the burn of exercise trumps the fire of fibromyalgia CHRISTINE HENNEBURY Special to The TelegramA lot of people head to the gym to get fit or to lose weight, but Kim Collett goes for a different reason: to help control the pain associated with fibromyalgia. “My goal is to reduce my medication and to do day-to-day tasks without much pain,” she said. Fibromyalgia is a syndrome that causes chronic pain in a person’s muscles, ligaments and tendons and makes it difficult to do day-to-day tasks. Collett’s plan for managing her pain involves her family doctor, a chiropractor, a massage therapist and, now, a kinesiologist. “My doctor and my chiropractor and my massage therapist have been telling me that I need to exercise for years. I’ve tried but I couldn’t stick with it,” she said. “Now that I am seeing Mike (McIsaac), I have the motivation to keep going.” McIsaac is a certified kinesiologist at Nubody’s in Mount Pearl. When he designed Collett’s program, he contacted the other health professionals on her team to get a full picture of her limitations and then created a plan to help her deal with the challenges her syndrome presents. “Exercises/stretches are most often chosen based on restoring functional qualities that the individual lost — for example, training them so that they can restore their strength to lift objects off of the floor — among other things. Generally, exercises are chosen to replicate real-life movements.” McIsaac’s program uses equipment such as Bosu balls, stability balls, medicine balls and free weights, but he’s quick to modify the program if Collett is unable to do a particular exercise during a session. “If she experiences discomfort along particular body parts, we may modify movements or switch to machines because of their inherent isolating effect, so that we can continue training without further irritating problem areas,” McIsaac said. “The machines don’t have as great an effect, but they are a much better option than doing nothing at all.” Because of their constant pain, people with fibromyalgia sometimes restrict their movements or stop exercising altogether. Dr. Lydia Hatcher, Collett’s family physician, says this causes deconditioning due to the lack of exercise, and the patient’s symptoms will get worse. She recommends exercise with a trained kinesiologist and tells her patients they may need “a little pain for some gain, and a trained kinesiologist knows how to far to push them without injury.” Working with McIsaac has helped Collett stick with the program. “If it wasn’t for the motivation he offers, I would have given up,” she said. “For example, I had a problem with my sacroiliac joint, but I knew I had to keep exercising, so I kept going and Mike changed my exercises to not aggravate the area.” Collett has found the exercises have had a direct effect on her pain levels. “My arms and legs were always aching, and continuous exercise has helped with that. In order to stay at a level where I’m not in as much pain, I need to keep exercising.” Collett is hoping for long-term benefits as well. “If I try to nip this in the bud, I might be able to manage better later on, to keep up with my son,” she said. Collett developed fibromyalgia after a car accident in 1992. At first she had moderate whiplash, but the pain didn’t go away. Finally, in 1994, she was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Collett has pain all over her body, but the intensity varies from day to day. “It’s like having a really bad flu, and sometimes I feel like I’ve been hit by a tractor-trailer. It keeps me up at night.” Sleep — or a lack thereof — can be a huge issue for people with fibromyalgia. According to Collett’s research, fibromyalgia patients tend not to get enough deep sleep so their muscles can’t recover from the day’s efforts in the same way that other people’s do. As a result, Collett sometimes finds it a challenge to keep up with her two-year-old, and she is often ready to go to bed when he does. Living with fibromyalgia also means that Collett needs a lot of help with things other people find routine. “I had to get help with shovelling, painting the house and mowing. Household chores are a big hassle. I can’t do too much at once. I haven’t had to give anything up, but I had to cut back on a lot of things,” she said. People with fibromyalgia often have to deal with society’s lack of understanding, Collett said. “A lot of people think it is all in your head, they think you are making it up.” Hatcher agrees. “People with fibromyalgia don’t have a deformity,” she said. “It is hard to see, so some people don’t believe it exists. But it is real — we just don’t happen to have a test for it today.” Collett’s said treatment program, including regular exercise, has made a big difference in her life and she gets by on “positive thinking, motivation, and help from family and friends.”

For a complete program on exercise and fibromyalgia, visit www.ridfibromyalgia.com.

This Article From Wall Street Journal on Arthritis and Fibromyalgia Interesting

An aging population, expanding waistlines and low levels of physical activity are likely to push the number of people with arthritis, lupus, fibromyalgia and other rheumatic conditions up 46 percent to about 67 million people by 2030, or about 25 percent of the projected population, according to the CDC.

'May 13, 2007'
By Betsy McKay
Wall Street Journal
May 13, 2007 6:00 AM

Federal public-health officials are predicting a surge in the prevalence of arthritis and other rheumatic conditions by the year 2030, and popular retirement states such as Florida, Arizona and California are likely to bear the brunt of the burden.
About 46 million U.S. adults currently have arthritis, lupus, fibromyalgia and other rheumatic conditions, resulting in $128 billion in medical expenses as well as indirect costs such as lost productivity, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That amount is equal to about 1.2 percent of the 2003 U.S. gross domestic product, the CDC says.
Now, an aging population, expanding waistlines and low levels of physical activity are likely to push the number of affected people up 46 percent to about 67 million people by 2030, or about 25 percent of the projected population, according to the CDC. Most of the increase will come from those who develop age-related degeneration of joints in the hip, knee, or elsewhere. An estimated 25 million will be in enough pain that they will have trouble moving around, the CDC says.
The CDC estimates raise concerns about the toll that arthritis could take on the nation's health-care systems. In Arizona, the CDC estimates that arthritis cases will rise 87 percent, or by a million people. Florida, which currently has 3.7 million arthritis sufferers, is expected to have 6.3 million. California, which now has 5.9 million people with arthritis, will see its total mushroom to an estimated 7.9 million.
Other states whose populations are expected to age considerably by 2030, such as Nevada, Texas and Utah, are also likely to see large percentage increases in the number of residents they have with arthritis, the CDC says. Arthritis cases are expected to jump more than 30 percent in 13 states.
The CDC says it hasn't projected the potential cost of the epidemic in 2030. "We're very reluctant to make projections because the health-care system is so dynamic and changing," says Chad Helmick, a medical epidemiologist with the agency's arthritis program.
Still, the consequences of a ballooning epidemic are huge, says Patience White, chief public-health officer for the Atlanta-based Arthritis Foundation. "The fact here is it's causing an increasing number of activity limitations," she says. "People cannot live on their own, and the whole push today is to keep people's independence."
While many arthritis patients take medication for their pain, public-health officials are pushing physical-activity programs as a longer-term solution both for those with arthritis and those at risk — particularly older, overweight adults. Only 11 percent of adults with arthritis have taken classes to learn to manage their arthritis, Dr. Helmick says. The CDC funds programs in 36 states that promote physical activity and weight reduction to help alleviate pain.
"If you lose 15 pounds or so, you can cut your pain in half," says Dr. White. The disease won't progress as quickly, either, she says.

If I Only Had a Brain...

So, sometimes I wondered if I was just losing it when I was symptomatic, now I know I was. Putting the humor aside, I thought I would post this article on the connection of fibromyalgia and gray matter loss.

Kuchinad A, Schweinhardt P, Seminowicz DA, Wood PB, Chizh BA, Bushnell MC.
McGill Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3A 2B2.

Fibromyalgia is an intractable widespread pain disorder that is most frequently diagnosed in women. It has traditionally been classified as either a musculoskeletal disease or a psychological disorder. Accumulating evidence now suggests that fibromyalgia may be associated with CNS dysfunction. In this study, we investigate anatomical changes in the brain associated with fibromyalgia. Using voxel-based morphometric analysis of magnetic resonance brain images, we examined the brains of 10 female fibromyalgia patients and 10 healthy controls. We found that fibromyalgia patients had significantly less total gray matter volume and showed a 3.3 times greater age-associated decrease in gray matter than healthy controls. The longer the individuals had had fibromyalgia, the greater the gray matter loss, with each year of fibromyalgia being equivalent to 9.5 times the loss in normal aging. In addition, fibromyalgia patients demonstrated significantly less gray matter density than healthy controls in several brain regions, including the cingulate, insular and medial frontal cortices, and parahippocampal gyri. The neuroanatomical changes that we see in fibromyalgia patients contribute additional evidence of CNS involvement in fibromyalgia. In particular, fibromyalgia appears to be associated with an acceleration of age-related changes in the very substance of the brain. Moreover, the regions in which we demonstrate objective changes may be functionally linked to core features of the disorder including affective disturbances and chronic widespread pain.

So let us know what you think about this study. To see more info on what you can do to stop the symptoms of fibromyaliga visit www.ridfibromyalgia.com.