Association between fibromyalgia syndrome and polymorphism of the IL-4 gene in a Turkish population.

Purpose: Fibromyalgia (FM) syndrome is a form of non-articular rheumatism characterized by long term and widespread musculoskeletal pain, morning stiffness, sleep disturbance, paresthesia, and pressure hyperalgesia at characteristic sites, called soft tissue tender points. The etiology of FM is still obscure. Genetic factors may predispose individuals to FM.

Fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia is an idiopathic, chronic, nonarticular pain syndrome with generalized tender points. It is a multisystem disease characterized by sleep disturbance, fatigue, headache, morning stiffness, paresthesias, and anxiety. Nearly 2 percent of the general population in the United States suffers from fibromyalgia, with females of middle age being at increased risk.

The Symptom Intensity Scale, fibromyalgia, and the meaning of fibromyalgia-like symptoms.

Objective: To characterize a scale for the measurement of fibromyalgia (FM)-like symptoms; to investigate whether FM is a discrete disorder; to understand the significance of FM-like symptoms; and to investigate causal and noncausal factors in the development of such symptoms.

Methods: We evaluated 25,417 patients with rheumatic disease using the Symptom Intensity (SI) Scale, a self-report scale that combines a count of pain in 19 nonarticular regions with a visual analog scale for fatigue. We studied this scale in relation to demographics, clinical symptoms, and serious outcomes, including serious medical illnesses, hospitalization, work disability, and death.

The effect of balneotherapy at the Dead Sea on the quality of life of patients with fibromyalgia syndrome.

Fibromyalgia (FS) is an idiopathic chronic pain syndrome defined by widespread non-articular musculoskeletal pain and generalised tender points. As there is no effective treatment, patients with this condition have impaired quality of life (QoL). The aim of this study was to assess the possible effect of balneotherapy at the Dead Sea area on the QoL of patients with FS.

Is the benign joint hypermobility syndrome benign?

Over a period of two years, joint hypermobility was identified in 95 female and 19 male patients who attended rheumatology and rehabilitation units in Ismailia city. Pauciarticular pains referring to large and medium-sized joints was their most frequent complaint. Clinical diagnosis of carpal and/or tarsal tunnel syndromes was made in 45.

[Psycho-rheumatic problems in patients with soft tissue rheumatism].

Patients with non-articular rheumatism syndrome demand a multidimensional judgment and an interdisciplinary care in a biopsychosocial understanding of the disease. In the psychosomatic consideration factors from the person-environment interaction of the patient gains increasedly importance. Thereby the communication of pain in the doctor-patient relationship and the valuation of pain in the family play a particular role.

Primary fibromyalgia syndrome and myofascial pain syndrome: clinical features and muscle pathology.

Primary fibromyalgia syndrome (PFS) is a common form of nonarticular rheumatism with diffuse musculoskeletal aching and stiffness at multiple sites and tender points at characteristic locations. Nonmusculoskeletal "systemic" symptoms, eg, fatigue, poor sleep, irritable bowel symptoms, and chronic headaches, are also common. Although PFS is similar to myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) in that both conditions cause muscle pain and tenderness, important differences exist.

Symptoms and signs of mandibular dysfunction in primary fibromyalgia syndrome (PSF) patients.

Primary fibromyalgia syndrome (PFS) is a form of nonarticular rheumatism characterized by muscular pain and stiffness, commonly located in the neck-, shoulder-, back-, and pelvic regions. The most common finding in patients with mandibular dysfunction (MD) is pain or tenderness of the masticatory muscles, but tender and painful neck and shoulder muscles are also often found in relation to jaw muscle affection. Complaints presented by patients suffering from musculoskeletal conditions may overlap one another.

[The psychosomatics of pain, particularly in the cervicobrachial region (author's transl)].

A description is first given of the relevance of emotional factors to present-day pathological processes. Pain may be indicative of various causes: consecutive symptom of an organic process, expression of a functional disorder, emotionally conditioned symptom. The vicious circle of pain and emotion (anxiety, aggression, depression) is demonstrated as exemplified by nonarticular rheumatism.