Immunologic profile of patients with fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia is a musculoskeletal disorder characterized by generalized myalgias, arthralgias widespread tender points in discreet areas on examination. It is frequently accompanied by fatigue, stiffness, and a nonrestorative sleep pattern. These patients generally have a normal blood count and chemistry profile.

Post-traumatic fibromyalgia. A long-term follow-up.

This report describes a follow-up study of 176 individuals seen between 1980 and 1990, in whom a diagnosis of post-traumatic fibromyalgia was made. Sixty-seven people completed a lengthy questionnaire and underwent a confirmatory physical examination using the American College of Rheumatology Criteria to confirm or deny the presence of fibromyalgia at the time of follow-up. A total of 60.

A profile of fibromyalgia in occupational environments.

The effect of the occupational environment on fibromyalgic patients has not been well studied. Individuals (321) from across the United States completed a questionnaire regarding effects of their current and past occupations on their fibromyalgia. Occupations with a high percentage of responders were general office workers (20%), health care providers (14%) and educators (11%).

Fibromyalgia syndrome. New associations.

Previous research has demonstrated a number of conditions, such as sleep disturbance, fatigue, depression, spastic colon and mitral valve prolapse, associated with fibromyalgia. The present report describes additional symptoms and medical conditions that appear to be associated with the syndrome based on a survey of 554 individuals with fibromyalgia compared with a group of 169 controls. Individuals with fibromyalgia self report a greater incidence of bursitis, chondromalacia, constipation, diarrhea, temporomandibular joint dysfunction, vertigo, sinus and thyroid problems.

Wrist flexion as an adjunct to the diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome.

The effects of five minutes of wrist flexion on median motor and sensory evoked potential latencies in 87 individuals were studied. Nineteen subjects had carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) as diagnosed by increased median nerve latencies across the wrist, and 68 had values in the normal range and were assigned to the control group. A slight prolongation of up to 0.

Prevalence of mitral valve prolapse in primary fibromyalgia: a pilot investigation.

Fifty patients with primary fibromyalgia and a negative cardiovascular symptom history underwent echocardiography to determine the prevalence of mitral valve prolapse (MVP). The mean age of the population was 40 +/- 13 years (14 men, 36 women). Mitral valve prolapse was detected in 75%; 33% with myxomatous mitral valve leaflets.

Familial occurrence of primary fibromyalgia.

Seventeen families of patients with primary fibromyalgia were studied for evidence of inherited primary fibromyalgia. Fifty parents and siblings were included in the analysis. Twenty-six (52%, mean age 33.

Chronic myofascial pain: management by low-output helium-neon laser therapy.

Therapeutic benefits of low-output helium-neon laser therapy have not been established, but laser therapy has been suggested as an effective means of treating many acute and chronic musculoskeletal pain syndromes. Although not released for general clinical use by the FA, the helium-neon laser has been promoted to physical therapists and athletic trainers as potentially useful for the treatment of pain syndromes. In particular, it has been proposed that it may be more effective than conventional measures such as medication and conventional physical therapy in the treatment of myofascial pain syndromes (fibrositis, fibromyalgia).

Inversion devices: their role in producing lumbar distraction.

Twenty persons with chronic low back pain participated in a clinical study to evaluate the effects of gravity traction. Each subject was instructed in the use of three devices, two for inversion and one for upright suspension traction. Baseline pulse and rate blood pressure were recorded before and after traction.

Home cervical traction: evaluation of alternate equipment.

Overhead intermittent cervical traction is often utilized to control the symptoms of cervical radiculopathy associated with osteoarthritis. The long-term home use of presently available counterweight systems has often presented problems including: (1) lack of patient compliance, (2) difficulty with application by elderly or debilitated patients, (3) tensing of both the cervical paraspinalis and upper extremity muscles while maneuvering the counterweights, and (4) discomfort while using the device. A prototype home pneumatic traction device was developed, which has many of the advantages of the expensive hydraulic units in common use in physical therapy departments.

Effect of tourniquet time on postoperative quadriceps function.

Postoperative weakness of quadriceps function following knee arthrotomy has often been attributed to pain inhibition or lack of motivation. However, the delayed recovery may be the result of a slowly resolving axonal compression syndrome caused by the pneumatic tourniquet. Forty-eight patients who underwent knee arthrotomy were evaluated including postoperative electromyographic testing and clinical follow-up.

Electromyographic changes in postmeniscectomy patients. Role of the pneumatic tourniquet.

Delayed rehabilitation in postmeniscectomy patients may be due to a slowly resolving axonal compression syndrome secondary to the use of the pneumatic tourniquet. Twenty-five patients who underwent meniscectomy were examined to determine whether the pneumatic tourniquet used during the procedure caused a neurological dificit detectable by electromyography (EMG). Of these, 18 had postsurgical EMG changes that eventually resolved.

Durability of monopolar Teflon-coated electromyographic needles.

The results of a two-year study on durability and cause of failure of electromyographic monopolar electrodes are reported. The electrodes were obtained from the regular stock of three different manufacturing sources. Durability is defined on the basis of the number of patients that could be examined before failure.

Polyneuropathy due to n-hexane.

In 25 years, at least eight of 50 total exposed employees in a small plant developed a mild neuropathy. Studies of urine or blood for lead, arsenic, mercury, cadmium, thallium, and antimony revealed no sign of toxic agents, but the atmosphere in one room contained toxic levels of n-hexane. The sourse was the glue used in the plant.

Acupuncture effect on neurosensory deafness.

Bilateral neurosensory deafness offers a unique opportunity to study the effects of acupuncture objectively. By treating only one ear, and using audiometric evaluation techniques instead of subjective evaluations of hearing, an analysis of any achieved improvement seemed feasible. Only patients with well documented bilateral nerve deafness were accepted into the program.

Subcutaneous electrical stimulation (acupuncture) in the clinical practice of physical medicine.

There has been a rapid growth in both interest and concern over the value of acupuncture in this country during the last three years. Initially it was regarded with doubt, then with overwhelming interest, but only recently have any research data appeared as to its true value and applicability to western medicine. An acupuncture research project was initiated in November 1972 by the author to assess the immediate and long-range benefits of acupuncture in a group of 179 patients with various neuromuscular-skeletal pain and mobility problems.

Paraspinal electromyographic abnormalities as a predictor of occult metastatic carcinoma.

Profound membrane irritability localized primarily to the paraspinal muscles was the major electromyographic criterion proposed by LaBan and associates to predict the early presence and localization of spinal metastatic disease. A retrospective review was recently conducted to determine the accuracy of this interpretation and the effect of the electromyographic report on the attending physician's subsequent workup. In an analysis of 1800 electromyograms at Riverside Hospital, 91 cases were found which met the following criteria: (1) three or more paraspinal segments involved, (2) little or no membrane irritability in the anterior rami, and (3) no previous surgery on the paraspinal area.