Treatment of cervical myelopathy in patients with the fibromyalgia syndrome: outcomes and implications.

Some patients with fibromyalgia also exhibit the neurological signs of cervical myelopathy. We sought to determine if treatment of cervical myelopathy in patients with fibromyalgia improves the symptoms of fibromyalgia and the patients' quality of life. A non-randomized, prospective, case control study comparing the outcome of surgical (n = 40) versus non-surgical (n = 31) treatment of cervical myelopathy in patients with fibromyalgia was conducted.

Clinical evidence for cervical myelopathy due to Chiari malformation and spinal stenosis in a non-randomized group of patients with the diagnosis of fibromyalgia.

Objective: While patients with fibromyalgia report symptoms consistent with cervical myelopathy, a detailed neurological evaluation is not routine. We sought to determine if patients with fibromyalgia manifest objective neurological signs of cervical myelopathy.

Methods: Two hundred and seventy patients, 18 years and older, who carried the diagnosis of fibromyalgia but who had no previously recognized neurological disease underwent detailed clinical neurological and neuroradiological evaluation for the prevalence of objective evidence of cervical myelopathy and radiological evidence of cerebellar tonsillar herniation (Chiari 1 malformation) or cervical spinal canal stenosis.

Adaptation to stroke: a longitudinal study of depressive symptoms, physical health, and coping process.

The purposes of this study were to describe the natural history of adaptation to stroke and to identify survivor and caregiver predictors of depressive symptoms. Data were collected for 53 stroke survivors at four times from acute rehabilitation (T1) to 2 years post discharge (T4). Significant improvement occurred in depressive symptoms and perception of health, but change in the rate of depression was not significant.

Adaptation to stroke: Comparison of spouses of stroke survivors with and without aphasia.

The purpose of this study was to compare adaptation to a partner's stroke in spouses of aphasic stroke survivors (SASS) and spouses of nonaphasic stroke survivors (SNASS) over time. Cognitive appraisal of the impact of stroke, difficult adaptive tasks, and depression were examined in 15 SASS and 20 SNASS. Data were collected prior to discharge from rehabilitation and at 6 to 10 weeks and 1 year postdischarge.