Arthritis care & research
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Arthritis care & research · May 2010
Multicenter StudyUltrasound of the knee during voluntary quadriceps contraction: a technique for detecting otherwise occult effusions.
To describe 1) a technique that can detect synovial effusions not seen on static ultrasound (US) examination and 2) the characteristics of patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) for whom this technique proved useful. ⋯ US of the knee during voluntary quadriceps contraction can find effusions not detectable on static US. Such effusions provide targets for accurate aspiration and injection that would not be appreciated with static US.
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Arthritis care & research · May 2010
Multicenter StudyThe American College of Rheumatology preliminary diagnostic criteria for fibromyalgia and measurement of symptom severity.
To develop simple, practical criteria for clinical diagnosis of fibromyalgia that are suitable for use in primary and specialty care and that do not require a tender point examination, and to provide a severity scale for characteristic fibromyalgia symptoms. ⋯ This simple clinical case definition of fibromyalgia correctly classifies 88.1% of cases classified by the ACR classification criteria, and does not require a physical or tender point examination. The SS scale enables assessment of fibromyalgia symptom severity in persons with current or previous fibromyalgia, and in those to whom the criteria have not been applied. It will be especially useful in the longitudinal evaluation of patients with marked symptom variability.
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Arthritis care & research · May 2010
Randomized Controlled TrialCognitive-behavioral therapy attenuates nociceptive responding in patients with fibromyalgia: a pilot study.
To explore the possibility that cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) influences fibromyalgia symptoms via descending inhibition of nociception, we evaluated the effects of CBT on the nociceptive flexion reflex (NFR) threshold, an objective measure of spinal nociceptive transmission. ⋯ Compared with UC, CBT reduced nociceptive responding in fibromyalgia patients. Moreover, while the UC group exhibited longitudinal decreases in both the stimulation level and pain associated with the NFR threshold, those receiving CBT required more intense stimulation to elicit the NFR as well as rated that stimulation as less painful than at baseline. These data indicate the need for a larger study to confirm that changes in nociceptive responsivity may underlie the benefits of CBT in fibromyalgia patients.
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Arthritis care & research · May 2010
Association between physical exercise, body mass index, and risk of fibromyalgia: longitudinal data from the Norwegian Nord-Trøndelag Health Study.
To examine the association between leisure time physical exercise, body mass index (BMI), and risk of fibromyalgia (FM). ⋯ Being overweight or obese was associated with an increased risk of FM, especially among women who also reported low levels of physical exercise. Community-based measures aimed at reducing the incidence of FM should emphasize the importance of regular exercise and the maintenance of normal body weight.