The polymorphism Val158Met in the COMT gene: disrupted dopamine system in fibromyalgia patients?

The single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs4680 in the catechol-O-methyltransferase gene ( COMT ) is a missense variant (Val158Met) associated with altered activity of the COMT enzyme and suggested as a predictive feature for developing some chronic pain conditions. However, there are controversial results on its role in fibromyalgia (FM). Here, the SNP Val158Met was analyzed in 294 FM patients (without comorbidities) and 209 healthy controls (without chronic pain).

DNA Methylation Changes in Fibromyalgia Suggest the Role of the Immune-Inflammatory Response and Central Sensitization.

Fibromyalgia (FM) has been explained as a result of gene-environment interactions. The present study aims to verify DNA methylation differences in eleven candidate genome regions previously associated to FM, evaluating DNA methylation patterns as potential disease biomarkers. DNA methylation was analyzed through bisulfite sequencing, comparing 42 FM women and their 42 healthy sisters.

DNA methylation changes in genes involved in inflammation and depression in fibromyalgia: a pilot study.

Objectives: The present pilot study aims to investigate DNA methylation changes of genes related to fibromyalgia (FM) development and its main comorbid symptoms, including sleep impairment, inflammation, depression and other psychiatric disorders. Epigenetic modifications might trigger or perpetuate complex interplay between pain transduction/transmission, central pain processing and experienced stressors in vulnerable individuals.

Methods: We conducted DNA methylation analysis by targeted bisulfite NGS sequencing testing differential methylation in 112 genomic regions from leukocytes of eight women with FM and their eight healthy sisters as controls.

A family-based study to identify genetic biomarkers of fibromyalgia: consideration of patients' subgroups.

Objectives: Evidence from genome-wide and candidate gene association studies, familial aggregation and linkage analyses demonstrate the genetic contribution to fibromyalgia (FM) disease. This study aimed to identify genetic biomarkers of FM and its related comorbid disorders, by exploring 41 polymorphisms potentially involved in FM pathogenesis in families with at least one patient with FM.

Methods: Core symptoms were assessed, and blood samples collected from 556 patients with FM and 395 healthy relatives.

Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on chronic pain in Spain: a scoping review.

The COVID-19 outbreak has been a great challenge in the management of chronic pain patients. We have conducted a rapid scoping review to assess the impact of the pandemic (and the associated public health measures) on the health status and management practices of chronic pain patients in Spain. To this end, we performed a bibliographic search in LitCOVID and PubMed, and reviewed official websites and documents, and expert reports.

Patients with fibromyalgia show increased beta connectivity across distant networks and microstates alterations in resting-state electroencephalogram.

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic condition characterized by widespread pain of unknown etiology associated with alterations in the central nervous system. Although previous studies demonstrated altered patterns of brain activity during pain processing in patients with FM, alterations in spontaneous brain oscillations, in terms of functional connectivity or microstates, have been barely explored so far. Here we recorded the EEG from 43 patients with FM and 51 healthy controls during open-eyes resting-state.

Toward a Strategy to Involve Patients in Health Technology Assessment in Spain.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to develop a feasible and effective strategy to involve patients in the Spanish Network of Agencies of Health Technology Assessment (RedETS).

Methods: The framework for patient involvement (PI) in the assessment activities and processes of RedETS were developed through a research project that included: (i) a systematic search of the international literature describing a strategy and/or a methodology linking health technology assessment (HTA) and PI; (ii) a qualitative study through interviews with RedETS members to analyze the perceptions of PI among HTA managers in the Spanish context; (iii) a Delphi consultation with three large platforms of patients, carers and consumer organizations in Spain about their perspectives of PI; (iv) a consensus process with the members of the RedETS Governing Council to define the final strategy.

Results: Three main themes were identified in the literature and Web site review: (i) PI methods for the different HTA phases; (ii) Participant definition and selection; (iii) Resources needed.

Evaluation of the accuracy of several symptoms and domains in distinguishing patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia from healthy controls.

Objectives: To assess the discriminative power of several symptoms and domains that may assist in the diagnosis of subjects with Fibromyalgia (FM).

Methods: 79 individuals with FM and 66 healthy controls participated in the study. The potential domains proposed by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria were considered (Wolfe et al.

First-time admissions for opioid treatment: cross-sectional and descriptive study of new opioid users seeking treatment.

Background: The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of the profiles of the new treatment demands posed by opioid addicts between 2005 and 2010 at the addictive disorders assistance units in Galicia, Spain.

Methods: A cluster analysis was performed using data from 1,655 treatment entrants. Clusters were constructed using sociodemographic and medicolegal variables.

Development and impact of computerised decision support systems for clinical management of depression: A systematic review.

One of the proposals for improving clinical practice is to introduce computerised decision support systems (CDSS) and integrate these with electronic medical records. Accordingly, this study sought to systematically review evidence on the effectiveness of CDSS in the management of depression. A search was performed in Medline, EMBASE and PsycInfo, in order to do this.

Profiles in fibromyalgia: algometry, auditory evoked potentials and clinical characterization of different subtypes.

The heterogeneity found in fibromyalgia (FM) patients has led to the investigation of disease subgroups, mainly based on clinical features. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that clinical FM subgroups are associated with different underlying pathophysiological mechanisms. Sixty-three FM patients were classified in type I or type II, according to the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), and in mild/moderate versus severe FM, according to the severity of three cardinal symptoms considered in the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 2010 criteria (unrefreshed sleep, cognitive problems and fatigue).

Brain processing of task-relevant and task-irrelevant emotional words: an ERP study.

Although there is evidence for preferential perceptual processing of written emotional information, the effects of attentional manipulations and the time course of affective processing require further clarification. In this study, we attempted to investigate how the emotional content of words modulates cerebral functioning (event-related potentials, ERPs) and behavior (reaction times, RTs) when the content is task-irrelevant (emotional Stroop Task, EST) or task-relevant (emotional categorization task, ECT), in a sample of healthy middle-aged women. In the EST, the RTs were longer for emotional words than for neutral words, and in the ECT, they were longer for neutral and negative words than for positive words.