Fibromyalgia News

A history of abuse may amplify some fibromyalgia symptoms, including pain severity and tenderness, according to recently published research by the Divisions of Intramural Research of the National Institute of Nursing Research and the National Institute of Mental Health of the NIH in Bethesda, Maryland and the Georgetown Howard Universities Center for Clinical and Translational Science in Washington, D.C.

Results of a recently published study showed 57.4% of patients with fibromyalgia had positional cervical cord compression.

Discussions surrounding fatigue and its impact are not routinely raised with patients with rheumatic diseases and patients may face significant barriers to communication about the impact of fatigue, according to researchers from the United Kingdom.

Results from a new questionnaire designed to assess dysautonomia suggest that condition, rather than polysymptomatic distress, may be the underlying pathogenesis in patients with fibromyalgia, according to researchers in Mexico City.

SAN FRANCISCO — Carmen Gota, MD, from the Cleveland Clinic discussed research that showed patients with fibromyalgia who received opioids were more likely to have lower socioeconomic status, had higher levels of pain and were more dissatisfied with treatment compared to patients with fibromyalgia who received other forms of treatment.

A combination of famciclovir and celecoxib may be an effective treatment for patients with fibromyalgia, according to recently presented data from a phase 2a study.

A “a gap in care provision” may exist among rheumatologists as a recent survey indicated rheumatologists recognize a need to address mental health issues in patients with rheumatic diseases, but may not have the skills or time to treat patients in need of mental health services.

SAN FRANCISCO — Seth Lederman, MD, CEO of Tonix Pharmaceuticals, discusses phase 2b trial results with 200 patients with fibromyalgia who received placebo or TNX-102 SL, a sublingual, low-dose form of cyclobenzaprine designed for nighttime use. Three abstracts related to the study at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Meeting, and Lederman said a phase 3 trial with TNX-102 SL is underway with patinets with fibromyalgia.

The American College of Rheumatology Annual Meeting in San Francisco begins on Nov. 7, and Healio Rheumatology will cover the event and its many topics — ranging from rheumatoid arthritis to spondyloarthropathies, osteoarthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, vasculitis, fibromyalgia, juvenile arthritis and much more— throughout the week.

The Symptom Impact Questionnaire, an updated version of the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire, may be more effective than the Polysymptomatic Distress Scale to evaluate the symptom severity experienced by patients with fibromyalgia and chronic pain, according to recently published research.