Publications by authors named "Alma Rus"
Objective: This study aimed to investigate skin temperature, indicative of peripheral vascular blood flow, core body temperature and nitric oxide (NO) levels in premenopausal and postmenopausal women with fibromyalgia (FM) and controls.
Method: A case-control study was carried out in 32 healthy premenopausal and 52 healthy postmenopausal women and in 17 premenopausal and 53 postmenopausal women with FM. Hand skin temperature was measured using infrared thermography, tympanic and axillary temperature with an infrared thermometer, and serum NO levels using an ozone chemiluminescence-based method.
The aim of this study was to analyze the association between circulating amino acids and central and peripheral body temperature in subjects with and without fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). A total of 47 patients with FMS and 59 healthy subjects were included in the study. The concentration of amino acids was determined in serum samples using a fluorimeter coupled with a high-performance liquid chromatography system.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: Fibromyalgia is a complex syndrome that appears more frequently during menopause. No previous studies have investigated the effect of menopause on amino acids in women with fibromyalgia. Therefore, we have examined serum amino acid concentrations in premenopausal and postmenopausal women with fibromyalgia and healthy women.
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- * Non-drug interventions are gaining traction, prompting a study on the effects of supplements containing olive (poly)phenols, vitamin C, and vitamin B on FM patients' health and inflammatory markers.
- * The findings indicate that these supplements can lower cholesterol levels and improve patients' oxidative status and overall quality of life, suggesting potential benefits for managing FM symptoms.
Erratum to "Associations among serum VEGF and CGRP levels with the peripheral vascular blood flow of the skin of the hands in women with Fibromyalgia" [J. Therm. Biol. (2023) 112C, 103469].
J Therm Biol
May 2024
Article Synopsis
- * A study involving 47 women with FM examined the relationship between serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) with various clinical symptoms and pain-related measures.
- * The analysis revealed a significant association between higher VEGF levels and increased pain thresholds at specific tender points, while no links were found between CGRP levels and the studied variables, suggesting that VEGF may play a role in pain processing for FM patients.
Article Synopsis
- Fibromyalgia is a tough illness to diagnose and treat, prompting a study to compare the levels of amino acids (AAs) in patients versus healthy individuals.
- The study found that fibromyalgia patients had higher levels of most AAs, except for alanine, indicating a possible metabolic imbalance.
- The research suggests that measuring these AAs, alongside clinical evaluations, could improve the accuracy of fibromyalgia diagnosis.
Article Synopsis
- Fibromyalgia (FM) is a complex condition characterized by chronic pain and fatigue, with unknown causes, affecting many individuals, particularly women.
- A study was conducted comparing serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in women with FM to healthy controls, along with their skin and core body temperatures.
- The findings indicated a mild positive correlation between VEGF levels and skin temperature in certain areas of the hands in FM patients, but no definitive conclusions on the relationship between VEGF and vasodilation were reached.
The aim of this study was to evaluate laboratory parameters for investigating their potential predictive ability to differentiate patients with fibromyalgia (FM) from healthy subjects. We carried out a case-control study with 79 FM patients and 20 controls to analyze complete blood count, serum chemistry profile, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). The predictive value of these parameters was determined by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis.
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- Fibromyalgia is a challenging condition that affects patients' quality of life and is difficult to diagnose and treat.
- The study compared levels of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) between 42 women with fibromyalgia and 22 healthy controls, while also examining their link to various symptoms.
- Results showed higher CGRP levels in fibromyalgia patients compared to controls, but no significant difference in VEGF levels, suggesting that CGRP could serve as a potential diagnostic marker for fibromyalgia.
Article Synopsis
- Fibromyalgia (FM) is a condition marked by widespread pain, and the study aimed to explore how levels of nitric oxide and two enzymes—oxytocinase and enkephalin-degrading aminopeptidase (EDA)—are linked to pain in women with FM.
- The research involved 58 women with FM, measuring serum nitric oxide levels and enzyme activities, while assessing their pain through various scales and tools, including pressure pain thresholds.
- Findings indicated that higher nitric oxide levels and oxytocinase activity were associated with specific pain thresholds and overall pain intensity, suggesting these factors may play a role in pain perception in fibromyalgia patients.
Evaluation of sympathetic adrenergic branch of cutaneous neural control throughout thermography and its relationship to nitric oxide levels in patients with fibromyalgia.
J Therm Biol
January 2021
Article Synopsis
- Fibromyalgia is a complex disease that causes chronic pain and symptoms, making it difficult to diagnose and manage due to unclear underlying factors.
- This study compared 42 women with fibromyalgia to 52 healthy controls, measuring peripheral blood flow in the hands and core body temperature as indicators of nervous system activity and nitric oxide levels.
- Results showed that women with fibromyalgia had significantly higher tympanic and hand temperatures, along with notable associations between nitric oxide levels and hand temperatures in both groups.
Article Synopsis
- Fibromyalgia (FM) is difficult to diagnose and treat due to its unclear causes, but patients often show signs of oxidative stress.
- This study analyzed genetic variations (SNPs) in enzymes related to oxidative stress in 141 FM patients and 73 healthy subjects, but found no significant differences between the two groups.
- However, certain SNPs like rs10432782 (SOD1) and rs4673 (CYBA) correlated with the severity of FM symptoms, suggesting potential avenues for further research into the syndrome's underlying mechanisms.*
We have recently reported that patients with fibromyalgia (FM) may be at increased risk for cardiovascular disease. Olive oil reportedly has cardioprotective effects. We examined the influence of olive oil consumption on cardiovascular risk factors in FM.
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- The study focuses on validating the Spanish version of the Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS) questionnaire, a tool used to assess migraine-related disability, especially in university students.
- A total of 153 participants were involved, with analyses showing good reliability and construct validity, including a two-factor structure for the questionnaire.
- The Spanish MIDAS version proved to be a valid and reliable measure for migraine disability, offering valuable insights for clinicians through its additional items on headache frequency and intensity.
Article Synopsis
- * Researchers analyzed data from 31 studies involving 1,916 subjects and found that neurological patients generally misjudge vertical alignment more than healthy controls.
- * Among neurological conditions, stroke patients showed the greatest misperception of verticality, indicating they are more affected in this aspect compared to patients with other neurological issues.
Article Synopsis
- Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic pain condition with unclear causes, and this study investigated the role of aminopeptidases (APs) in FM patients compared to healthy controls.
- Researchers measured serum AP activities in 75 FM patients and 29 controls, finding that oxytocinase activity was significantly higher in FM patients, while a subset had lower enkephalin-degrading aminopeptidase (EDA) levels.
- The study concluded that increased oxytocinase activity could help differentiate FM patients from healthy individuals and may influence the metabolism of pain-relieving peptides, potentially aiding in FM diagnosis.
Article Synopsis
- - The study aimed to explore how body composition, adherence to the Mediterranean diet, and physical activity affect bone health in women with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), a condition marked by chronic pain and various symptoms.
- - Researchers analyzed data from 95 women with FMS, measuring body composition, dietary habits, and bone mass through various validated tools, finding significant associations between lean mass, Mediterranean diet adherence, and better bone health indicators.
- - Results indicated that improving lean mass and following a Mediterranean diet could help prevent osteoporosis in FMS patients, suggesting that training and dietary strategies should be integrated into their care.
Article Synopsis
- * Results indicated that women with FM had higher levels of fibrinogen, platelet count, RBC count, and PLR, while also showing lower prothrombin time and MPV compared to controls.
- * The findings suggest that FM patients may have a prothrombotic state due to elevated markers, potentially increasing their risk of cardiovascular disease related to thrombosis.
Unlabelled: Fibromyalgia (FM) is a form of non-articular rheumatism difficult to diagnose and treat because its etiology remains still elusive. Proteomics makes possible the systematic analysis of hundreds of proteins in clinical samples. Consequently, it has become a key tool for finding altered molecular pathways in different diseases.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: Fibromyalgia (FM) is a complex syndrome characterized by widespread pain. Its etiology is unclear, and diagnosis is difficult. The aim of this study was to assess plasma levels of monoamine neurotransmitters (catecholamines, indolamines, and intermediate metabolites) in patients with FM and healthy controls to investigate possible alterations in the metabolism of these molecules in FM.
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- Brain hypoxia is linked to various diseases and triggers angiogenesis, primarily through the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), in the adult rat striatum.
- In aged rats (24-25 months), despite an initial drop in mRNA expression of proangiogenic factors after acute hypoxia, no corresponding protein changes were observed, indicating a weaker response compared to younger rats.
- Interestingly, an increase in blood vessel networks was noted at 24 hours post-reoxygenation, suggesting that alternative mechanisms, beyond the known proangiogenic factors, are at play in the response to hypoxia in the older striatum.
Background: Nitric oxide (NO) appears to play a key role in the hypoxic injury to the brain. We have previously reported that hypoxia/reoxygenation downregulated NO synthases (NOS) in the adult striatum. Until now, no data were available concerning the influence of aging in conjunction with hypoxia/reoxygenation on the NO system in the striatum.
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- Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic condition that causes various physical and mental challenges, and the study explores how olive oil might help combat oxidative stress associated with it.
- Researchers tested the effects of two types of olive oil (extra virgin and refined) on 23 women with FM by analyzing their blood before and after a 3-week period of daily consumption.
- Results indicated that extra virgin olive oil positively affected oxidative stress markers and improved physical and mental health scores better than refined olive oil, suggesting it could be a beneficial treatment for FM.
Article Synopsis
- - The study aimed to assess how effective global postural re-education (GPR) is in treating spinal disorders through a systematic review and meta-analysis of existing research.
- - Researchers analyzed data from various medical databases, ultimately including 11 trials, and found significant improvements in pain and function among patients post-GPR treatment, particularly for conditions like ankylosing spondylitis.
- - The meta-analysis concluded that GPR is a promising treatment method for spinal issues, showing notable results in reducing pain and enhancing functional ability, especially after intermediate follow-up periods.