Clinical rheumatology
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Clinical rheumatology · Oct 2012
Randomized Controlled TrialThe effect of sulphurous water in patients with osteoarthritis of hand. Double-blind, randomized, controlled follow-up study.
The aim of the study was to demonstrate the effectiveness of sulphurous water in patients with osteoarthritis of the hand. Forty-seven patients with osteoarthritis of the hand were enrolled into the double-blind, randomized, controlled study, satisfying ACR criteria. One group of the patients (n = 24) received balneotherapy, bathing in sulphurous thermal water for 20 min per occasion, 15 times in all during a period of 3 weeks. ⋯ The improvement in quality of life was significant only at the end of the treatment, 6 months later not any longer. The difference between the two groups was significant after 3 months in point of pain and EQVAS. Balneotherapy and within this the sulphurous spa water alone may be effective for the attenuation of pain in patients with hand osteoarthrosis.
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Clinical rheumatology · Oct 2012
Comparative StudyQuantitative assessment of the "inexplicability" of fibromyalgia patients: a pilot study of the fibromyalgia narrative of "medically unexplained" pain.
The purpose of this study was to quantify the degree to which fibromyalgia patients perceive the cause of their pain to be inexplicable or difficult to understand. The author developed two simple Likert scales, Understand Pain Scale and Explain Pain Scale, which ask the subject to indicate the degree to which they are able to, respectively, understand the cause of their pain and to explain the cause of their pain to others. A total of 104 subjects who met the 1990 American College of Rheumatology Diagnostic Criteria for fibromyalgia (FM group), and 272 subjects with widespread pain who did not meet these criteria (non-FM group) completed these two instruments. ⋯ In contrast, 21.7 % of non-FM group subjects with widespread pain endorsed either of the aforementioned items. Compared to other patients with chronic, widespread pain, fibromyalgia patients report a much greater degree of difficulty in understanding the cause of their pain and explaining the cause of their pain to others. This phenomenon may reflect the narrative of "inexplicability" in fibromyalgia patients that distinguishes them from other widespread pain populations.
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Clinical rheumatology · Oct 2012
Health-related quality of life in Moroccan patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
We aimed to assess the aspects of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in Moroccan patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to evaluate the disease-related parameters influencing it. Two hundred fifty-five patients with RA were consecutively included. We assessed sociodemographic characteristics, cigarette smoking status, disease duration, diagnosis delay, joint pain intensity (on a 0-100-mm visual analogue scale), disease activity (by the disease activity score (DAS 28) and biological tests), structural damage (by radiographs scored using the Sharp's method as modified by Van der Heijde), functional disability (by the Health Assessment Questionnaire), extra-articular manifestations, immunological status, and treatments. ⋯ The level of antibodies against citrullinated peptides had significant correlations with the impairment of physical domains of SF-36. Physical as well as mental aspects of HRQoL in our RA patients were significantly deteriorated. Recognizing complicated relationships between HRQoL and disease-related variables among our RA patients can help to develop further management strategies to improve patients' daily living particularly with the advent of new treatments.
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Clinical rheumatology · Sep 2012
Amisulpride in the treatment of fibromyalgia: an uncontrolled study.
Some antipsychotics, including amisulpride, have shown to be effective in the treatment of various painful conditions, lessening pain as well as symptoms of anxiety and/or depression. In this open-label, 12-week study, we explored the efficacy and tolerability of amisulpride in patients with fibromyalgia. We recruited 40 patients, 1 male and 39 females, aged 46.2 ± 6.8 years, who met the ACR criteria for fibromyalgia and had a score equal to or greater than 4 in the pain severity item of the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ). ⋯ Twenty-six patients either withdrew from the study, mainly due to adverse reactions, or were lost to follow-up (n = 11, 27.5 %, for each category). Despite its promising results in some chronic painful conditions and in a related illness, such as chronic fatigue syndrome, amisulpride does not seem to provide any benefit to patients with fibromyalgia. Amisulpride was poorly tolerated by our participants.
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Clinical rheumatology · Aug 2012
Randomized Controlled TrialA randomized controlled trial of 8-form Tai chi improves symptoms and functional mobility in fibromyalgia patients.
Previous researchers have found that 10-form Tai chi yields symptomatic benefit in patients with fibromyalgia (FM). The purpose of this study was to further investigate earlier findings and add a focus on functional mobility. We conducted a parallel-group randomized controlled trial FM-modified 8-form Yang-style Tai chi program compared to an education control. ⋯ No adverse events were noted. Twelve weeks of Tai chi, practice twice weekly, provided worthwhile improvement in common FM symptoms including pain and physical function including mobility. Tai chi appears to be a safe and an acceptable exercise modality that may be useful as adjunctive therapy in the management of FM patients. (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier, NCT01311427).