Pain extent is associated with Central Sensitization Inventory but not widespread pressure pain sensitivity or psychological variables in women with fibromyalgia.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between pain extent, as a clinical sign of central sensitization, and clinical, psychological, and pressure sensitivity in women with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). METHOD: In this study, 126 females with FMS completed demographic (age, gender, body mass index, height, weight), clinical (pain history, and pain intensity at rest and during daily living activities), psychological (depression and anxiety levels), and neurophysiological [pressure pain threshold (PPT)] assessments. The Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI) was also used to collect self-reported symptoms of sensitization. Pain extent and frequency maps were obtained from pain drawings using customized software. After conducting a multivariable correlation analysis to determine the relationships between variables, a stepwise linear regression model analysis was performed to identify variables associated with pain extent. RESULTS: Pain extent was positively associated with age (r = 0.17), years with pain (r = 0.27), pain during daily life activities (r = 0.27), and CSI (r = 0.42) (all p < 0.05). The stepwise regression analysis revealed that 27.8% of the pain extent was explained by CSI, age, and years with pain. CONCLUSIONS: This study found that larger pain extent was associated with self-reported outcomes, i.e. CSI, but not neurophysiological outcomes, i.e. PPTs, of sensitization in women with FMS. Older age and a longer history with pain symptoms were also associated with larger pain extent.

[Association between the frequency and duration, but not the intensity, of headache with mechanical hypersensitivity and the health of patients with tension-type headache]. / Asociacion de la frecuencia y duracion, pero no la intensidad, de la cefalea con la hipersensibilidad mecanica y la salud en pacientes con cefalea de tension.

INTRODUCTION: The association between headache clinical parameters and other health-related and neuro-physiological outcomes is controversial. AIM: To investigate the association between headache frequency, duration and intensity with cranio-cervical pressure sensitivity considering the interaction of health-related and physical outcomes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Seventy-two individuals with tension type headache were included. A 1-month diary was used to assess headache frequency, duration and intensity. Pressure pain thresholds (PPT) and peri-cranial tenderness to palpation, health-related quality of life (Short Form-36), disability, depression, and cervical range of motion were the outcomes. All outcomes were introduced into hierarchic logistic regression models to assess potential associations. RESULTS: Several associations between headache frequency and duration, but not intensity, with the remaining variables were found. Regression analysis showed that PPT over the temporalis muscle, bodily pain, age and physical role explained the 22.3% of the headache frequency, whereas general health, PPT over the upper trapezius and headache frequency explained 20% of headache duration (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study found that headache frequency and duration, but not headache intensity, were associated with neurophysiological outcomes, e.g., cranio-cervical pressure sensitivity, and bodily pain in tension type headache. Other variables including age, physical role and general health were also associated with headache frequency and duration.

TITLE: Asociacion de la frecuencia y duracion, pero no la intensidad, de la cefalea con la hipersensibilidad mecanica y la salud en pacientes con cefalea de tension.Introduccion. La asociacion entre las variables clinicas de la cefalea y otras variables neurofisiologicas o de salud es controvertida. Objetivo. Determinar la asociacion de la frecuencia, duracion e intensidad del dolor con la sensibilidad mecanica craneocervical, considerando el efecto de otras variables de salud y fisicas. Pacientes y metodos. Se incluyeron 72 pacientes con cefalea de tension. Se mantuvo un diario mensual para determinar la frecuencia, duracion e intensidad del dolor. Se calcularon los umbrales de dolor a la presion (UDP) y la sensibilidad a la palpacion sobre la region craneocervical, calidad de vida (Short Form-36), discapacidad, depresion y movilidad cervical. Se introdujeron todas las variables en modelos de regresion logistica jerarquica para determinar las interacciones. Resultados. Se encontraron correlaciones entre la frecuencia y duracion de la cefalea, pero no la intensidad, con el resto de variables. El analisis de regresion mostro que la combinacion del UDP sobre el temporal, dolor corporal, edad y rol fisico explicaba el 22,3% de la varianza de la frecuencia, mientras que la combinacion de salud general, UDP sobre el trapecio superior y frecuencia del dolor explicaba el 20% de la varianza de la duracion (p < 0,001). Conclusiones. Este estudio ha encontrado que la frecuencia y la duracion de la cefalea, pero no la intensidad, se encuentran asociadas con variables neurofisiologicas, como el UDP sobre el cuello/cabeza o la percepcion de dolor generalizado en la cefalea tensional. Otras variables, como la edad, el rol fisico y la salud general tambien mostraron una asociacion con la frecuencia y la duracion de la cefalea.

Disability, quality of life, personality, cognitive and psychological variables associated with fatigue in patients with multiple sclerosis.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the associations between function, quality of life, personality, cognitive and psychological outcomes with fatigue in patients with MS. METHODS: One hundred and eight patients (54% women) with definite MS participated. MS-related fatigue was assessed with the Fatigue Impact Scale (FIS). Demographic and clinical data (weight, height, medication and history of pain), specific disease outcomes (Functional Assessment of Multiple Sclerosis/FAMS), general disease outcomes (Beck Depression Inventory/BDI-II, and Short-Form Health Survey 36/SF-36) and personality (NEO Five-Factor Inventory/NEOFFI) were assessed. Correlation and regression analyses were performed to determine associations between variables. RESULTS: A significant positive correlation existed between the FIS and EDSS (r=0.190; P<0.05). Significant negative correlations between the FIS with specific disease (FAMS mobility: r=-0.333, P<0.01; FAMS symptoms: r=-0.443, P<0.01; FAMS emotional well-being: r=-0.412, P<0.01; FAMS general contentment: r=-0.325, P<. 01; and, FAMS thinking/fatigue: r=-0.706, P<0.01); general disease (all domains SF36: -0.508