Somatosensory profiles in subgroups of patients with myogenic temporomandibular disorders and Fibromyalgia Syndrome.

Some patients with myofascial pain from temporomandibular disorders (TMD) report pain in extra-trigeminal body regions. Our aim was to distinguish TMD as regional musculoskeletal pain syndrome (n=23) from a widespread pain syndrome (FMS; n=18) based on patients' tender point scores, pain drawings and quantitative sensory testing (QST) profiles. Referenced to 18 age- and gender-matched healthy subjects significant group differences for cold, pressure and pinprick pain thresholds, suprathreshold pinprick sensitivity and mechanical detection thresholds were found.

Influence of intravenously administered lidocaine on cerebral blood flow in a baboon model standardized under controlled general anaesthesia using single-photon emission tomography and technetium-99m hexamethylpropylene amine oxime.

The baboon under general anaesthesia as a model to assess drug-induced cerebral blood flow changes (delta CBF) using single-photon emission tomography (SPET) offers great in vivo possibilities but has to comply with demands on control of anaesthesia-related influencing factors, such as PaCO2 changes. The model sought in this study and described here allows control of PaCO2, in the baboon under thiopentone anaesthesia by ventilation, and was evaluated for the functional dependence of delta CBF vs delta PaCO2, using SPET technetium-99m hexamethylpropylene amine oxime (HMPAO) and the split-dose method together with controlled ventilation. During the experiment the model was validated for normal reactivity to PaCO2 changes, and subsequently applied to investigate the mechanisms (still uncertain) of CBF increase known to follow administration of the local anaesthetic lidocaine.