Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation
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Arch Phys Med Rehabil · Jul 1988
ReviewFibrositis, fibromyalgia, and musculoskeletal disease: the current status of the fibrositis syndrome.
Fibrositis (fibromyalgia) is a common disorder, but is often not considered or diagnosed by clinicians. It is characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain and aching, disturbed sleep, fatigue, morning stiffness, and local tenderness. ⋯ Fibrositis occurs in a "primary" form, but most commonly in association with other rheumatic diseases where it is a concomitant condition. The designation "myofascial pain syndrome" has replaced older concepts of localized fibrositis, and is considered a separate entity.
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Arch Phys Med Rehabil · Jun 1988
ReviewPrimary 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. ⋯ Common and important pathologic changes in muscle in PFS are moth-eaten appearance of Type I fiber by histochemistry, and myofibrillar lysis with glycogen and mitochondria deposition by electron microscopy; inflammatory changes are absent by light microscopy. Recent investigations have shown that PFS is a characteristic clinical entity. Further controlled studies are, however, essential to establish the pathologic changes in tender muscles in PFS.
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Arch Phys Med Rehabil · Jan 1988
Case ReportsNeurologic complications of thyrotoxicosis: case report.
Weakness accompanying hyperthyroidism may be due to a variety of causes. A case is presented of a patient who, during management of thyrotoxicosis, became quadriparetic due to a unique combination of axonal neuropathy, myopathy, and pyramidal tract dysfunction. Electrodiagnostic, muscle biopsy, and nerve biopsy results are presented.
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Arch Phys Med Rehabil · Sep 1987
Case ReportsExacerbation of a case of myasthenia gravis during therapeutic electric stimulation.
In patients with myasthenia gravis, vigorous exercise and electric stimulation produce weakness that is usually reversed by rest. We describe a case of persistent weakness in a 31-year-old woman with myasthenia gravis following therapeutic electric stimulation. She was injured in an automobile accident, with cervical and lumbar muscle strain diagnosed by a local emergency room physician. ⋯ The exacerbation of myasthenia responded to prednisone and increased pyridostigmine. After two months she required only her preinjury dose of pyridostigmine (60 mg q.d. p.r.n.) to prevent diplopia or fatigue, and her strength was normal. Repeated electrically induced muscle contraction is suspected of causing this exacerbation of myasthenia gravis.
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Arch Phys Med Rehabil · Aug 1987
Comparative StudySensory perception threshold measurement: an evaluation of semiobjective testing devices.
Five semiobjective devices for testing sensory perception thresholds were concomitantly used on 36 normal subjects to determine normal threshold values, intersubject variability, and their correlation with age. The five devices include the Semmes-Weinstein monofilament (touch); three-point esthesiometer (two-point discrimination); Pfizer thermal tester (temperature); biothesiometer (vibration); and Optacon tactile tester (vibration). Each subject was tested at 12 upper extremity (UE) and ten lower extremity (LE) sites. ⋯ The means of most sites tested for each sensory modality (except vibration tested by the Optacon) showed correlation with age. There was no difference in threshold values between men and women for any sensory modality. The mean values of standard deviation were provided for each peripheral sensory nerve and dermatome.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)