Women with fibromyalgia have lower levels of calcium, magnesium, iron and manganese in hair mineral analysis

Little is known about hair mineral status in fibromyalgia patients. This study evaluated the characteristics of hair minerals in female patients with fibromyalgia compared with a healthy reference group. Forty-four female patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia according to the American College of Rheumatology criteria were enrolled as the case group. Age and body mass index-matched data were obtained from 122 control subjects enrolled during visit for a regular health check-up. Hair minerals were analyzed and compared between the two groups. The mean age was 43.7 yr. General characteristics were not different between the two groups. Fibromyalgia patients showed a significantly lower level of calcium (775 μg/g vs 1,093 μg/g), magnesium (52 μg/g vs 72 μg/g), iron (5.9 μg/g vs 7.1 μg/g), copper (28.3 μg/g vs 40.2 μg/g) and manganese (140 ng/g vs 190 ng/g). Calcium, magnesium, iron, and manganese were loaded in the same factor using factor analysis; the mean of this factor was significantly lower in fibromyalgia group in multivariate analysis with adjustment for potential confounders. In conclusion, the concentrations of calcium, magnesium, iron, and manganese in the hair of female patients with fibromyalgia are lower than of controls, even after adjustment of potential confounders.     

Shelter from the storm; men with chronic pain and narratives from the rehabilitation clinic

Objective

To examine the meaning of participating at a rehabilitation clinic in the lives of men with chronic pain.

Methods

The material consists of qualitative interviews with 10 Norwegian men with chronic neck pain, and was analyzed using narrative method, combined with a gender sensitive perspective.

Results

With references to ‘identification of a cause’ and ‘rebuilding physical strength’, the significance of medical expertise initially seemed to be linked to restoring bodily function. In the men's individual lives, however, the meaning of being in rehabilitation extended far beyond achieving manifest treatment goals and was also linked to profound human needs, such as to (re)build a self, to be comforted and connected to others.

Conclusion

As rehabilitation clinics may provide a legitimate space in which men's experiences of pain are ‘housed’, they may constitute significant sources for restitution work, as well as significant shelters against social accusation that they are not really sick.

Practice implications

We suggest that health professionals should be aware of the social significance rehabilitation clinics may represent for men living with chronic pain.     

Exploring online support spaces: using cluster analysis to examine breast cancer, diabetes and fibromyalgia support groups

Objective

This study sought to characterize and compare online discussion forums for three conditions: breast cancer, type 1 diabetes and fibromyalgia. Though there has been considerable work examining online support groups, few studies have considered differences in discussion content between health conditions. In addition, in contrast to the extant literature, this study sought to employ a semi-automated approach to examine health-related online communities.

Methods

Online discussion content for the three conditions was compiled, pre-processed, and clustered at the thread level using the bisecting k-means algorithm.

Results

Though the clusters for each condition differed, the clusters fell into a set of common categories: Generic, Support, Patient-Centered, Experiential Knowledge, Treatments/Procedures, Medications, and Condition Management.

Conclusion

The cluster analyses facilitate an increased understanding of various aspects of patient experience, including significant emotional and temporal aspects of the illness experience.

Practice implications

The clusters highlighted the changing nature of patients’ information needs. Information provided to patients should be tailored to address their needs at various points during their illness. In addition, cluster analysis may be integrated into online support groups or other types of online interventions to assist patients in finding information.     

Effect of peer support on adults with diabetes-related peripheral neuropathy

ObjectiveTo explore the effect of peer support on exercise self-efficacy, physical activity level, and neuropathic symptoms in patients with diabetes-related peripheral neuropathy (DPN).MethodsA total of 60 adults with DPN were assigned to groups. Patients in the control group received routine education (RE), while patients in the intervention group received peer support (PS) combined with routine diabetes education. Data were collected at baseline and after intervention (12 weeks).ResultsAt 12 weeks, better outcomes were found in the PS group compared to the RE group for the following aspects: exercise self-efficacy, steps, total physical activity, fasting blood glucose and 2-hour postprandial blood glucose. Decreases in scores on Toronto Clinical Scoring System occurred between baseline and post-intervention in both groups.ConclusionPeer support is an effective way to improve exercise self-efficacy, number of steps, and general physical activity and to reduce blood glucose for patients with DPN. But the effects of peer support on neuropathic symptoms is are obvious. Further research is needed.Practice implicationsAs a low-cost, effective education approach, peer support strategies should be integrated into our healthcare system to meet the minimum needs of patients with DPN.     

The role of self-disclosure by peer mentors: Using personal narratives in depression care

ObjectiveSelf-disclosure is recognized as an important aspect of peer support, but little is known about its use by peers. This study aimed to qualitatively understand peer self-disclosure in the context of depression care delivery to older adults.Methods69 audio-recordings of peer-client meetings were coded for self-disclosure using the Roter Interaction Analysis System (RIAS). Peer self-disclosure was defined as a statement describing personal life experience with physical and/or emotional relevance for the client. A total of 3421 discrete statements were organized into 770 disclosure episodes. The episodes were qualitatively analyzed to identify themes related to the content and function of self-disclosure within the peer-counseling context.ResultsPeer self-disclosure was used to 1) counsel through reframing perspectives, modeling positive behaviors, offering coping skills, and sharing mental health resources and health information; 2) establish rapport by emphasizing similarities unrelated to depression; and 3) show empathy and understanding of personal struggles. In addition, self-disclosure rarely only focused on the peer experience without relevance for the client.Conclusions & practice implicationsPeer self-disclosure can be purposively used in depression care delivery with older adults. Training and supervision in appropriate self-disclosure should be provided to peers to ensure purposive use.     

The association of major depressive episode and personality traits in patients with fibromyalgia

INTRODUCTION:

Personality traits have been associated with primary depression. However, it is not known whether this association takes place in the case of depression comorbid with fibromyalgia.

OBJECTIVE:

The authors investigated the association between a current major depressive episode and temperament traits (e.g., harm avoidance).

METHOD:

A sample of 69 adult female patients with fibromyalgia was assessed with the Temperament and Character Inventory. Psychiatric diagnoses were assessed with the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview severity of depressive symptomatology with the Beck Depression Inventory, and anxiety symptomatology with the IDATE-state and pain intensity with a visual analog scale.

RESULTS:

A current major depressive episode was diagnosed in 28 (40.5%) of the patients. They presented higher levels of harm avoidance and lower levels of cooperativeness and self-directedness compared with non-depressed patients, which is consistent with the Temperament and Character Inventory profile of subjects with primary depression. However, in contrast to previous results in primary depression, no association between a major depressive episode and self-transcendence was found.

CONCLUSIONS:

The results highlight specific features of depression in fibromyalgia subjects and may prove important for enhancing the diagnosis and prognosis of depression in fibromyalgia patients.     

A peer support intervention in improving glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes

Objective

This study aims to assess the effectiveness of a peer support intervention, in which patients with T2DM were provided ongoing self-management support by trained peers with diabetes directed at improving self-care behaviors, self-efficacy and life quality.

Anti-polymer antibodies are inversely correlated with pain and fatigue severity in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of antipolymer antibody (APA) in patients with fibromyalgia (FM) and to examine its association with FM severity symptoms.

Methods: The study population consisted of 79 FM patients and 75 controls: 32 with psoriatic arthritis and 43 with rheumatoid arthritis APA levels were indirectly assayed using a commercial ELISA kit from Corgenix (Westmister, Colorado, USA). Optical density (OD) values were recorded on duplicates of each of the reference and patient samples. Among clinical variables we investigated pain, measured according to visual analog scales (VAS: 0–100), fatigue, stiffness, anxiety, depression, all measured by VAS (0–100), and health status measured by Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ).

Results: Sixteen of the 79 FM patients (20.3%) and 12/78 controls (15.4%) were positive for APAs (P = 0.536). Following ROC analysis, area under curve (AUC) was 0.49 (95% CI: 0.40, 0.58). Focusing on FM patients, we observed a correlation between APA titre and pain (τ: ? 0.221; P = 0.020) and fatigue (τ: ? 0.205; P = 0.032) at univariate analysis. Binomial regression analysis, controlling for clinical and demographic variables, showed that pain (PPR: 0.923; P = 0.007) and fatigue (PPR: 0.948; P = 0.024) were significantly associated with APA test sensitivity.

Conclusions: APA test exhibited a low sensitivity in FM patients and it did not distinguish this group of patients from the controls enrolled in this study. Interestingly, positive APA test prevalence increased with less severe pain or fatigue.     

The experience and impact of chronic disease peer support interventions: A qualitative synthesis

Objective

Our aim was to synthesise qualitative literature about the perceived impact and experience of participating in peer support interventions for individuals with chronic disease.

Methods

We carried out a meta-ethnography to synthesize 25 papers meeting specific inclusion criteria.

Results

Thirteen concepts were identified that reflected participants’ perceptions of the experience and impact of intervention participation. These were brought together in a conceptual model that highlighted both positive and negative perceptions, while also indicating if specific experiences and impacts had greater pertinence for mentors, mentees, or were mutually experienced.

Conclusion

Although peer support interventions may establish uneven power relationships between mentors and mentees, there is also potential for initially asymmetrical relationships to become more symmetrical over time. Our synthesis suggests that emotional support is particularly valued when delivered under conditions that do not merely reproduce biomedical hierarchies of power.

Practice implications

This synthesis suggests that those developing and implementing peer support interventions need to be sensitive to their potential negative effects. They will need to manage the tension between the hierarchical and egalitarian aspects of peer support interventions, and consider the impact on both mentors and mentees.     

The effectiveness of peer support on self-efficacy and self-management in people with type 2 diabetes: A meta-analysis

ObjectivesThis study aims to investigate the effectiveness of peer support on self-efficacy and self-management in people with type 2 diabetes.MethodsEight databases were utilized for selecting eligible studies that were published from inception to Jan., 2020. The eligible studies were screened, extracted and then the methodological quality was evaluated independently by two researchers. RevMan version 5.3 software and Stata version 14.0 software were utilized for the meta-analysis.ResultsSeventeen studies were included in the meta-analysis. Compared with the control group, peer support significantly improved self-efficacy [SMD = 0.41, 95 % CI = (0.20, 0.62), p = 0.0001] and self-management [SMD = 1.21, 95 % CI = (0.58, 1.84), p = 0.0002] in people with type 2 diabetes, but had no significant effect on distress (p = 0.34).ConclusionsPeer support significantly improved self-efficacy and self-management, but there was no clear evidence that peer support improved distress in people with type 2 diabetes. More studies are needed to further verify the validity of the results.Practice implicationsThis meta-analysis suggested that peer support should be considered as a complementary treatment for patients with type 2 diabetes. Medical staff can encourage the use of peer support in the teaching content of patients with type 2 diabetes to improve their self-efficacy and self-management.     

Optimism,social support,and adjustment in African American women with breast cancer

Past studies show that optimism and social support are associated with better adjustment following breast cancer treatment. Most studies have examined these relationships in predominantly non-Hispanic White samples. The present study included 77 African American women treated for nonmetastatic breast cancer. Women completed measures of optimism, social support, and adjustment within 10-months of surgical treatment. In contrast to past studies, social support did not mediate the relationship between optimism and adjustment in this sample. Instead, social support was a moderator of the optimism-adjustment relationship, as it buffered the negative impact of low optimism on psychological distress, well-being, and psychosocial functioning. Women with high levels of social support experienced better adjustment even when optimism was low. In contrast, among women with high levels of optimism, increasing social support did not provide an added benefit. These data suggest that perceived social support is an important resource for women with low optimism.     

Peer support interventions on quality of life,depression, anxiety,and self-efficacy among patients with cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

ObjectivePeer support is a common form of social support that is provided by individuals with the same disease, which is cost-effective and has enhanced health outcomes for patients. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of peer support interventions on quality of life (QOL), depression, anxiety, and self-efficacy among patients with cancer.MethodsA systematic search of seven databases were conducted from inception to January 2021. Studies were screened and assessed by two independent reviewers. Data synthesis was conducted using RevMan 5.3 software, and the standardized mean difference was used to calculate pooled effect sizes.ResultsSeventeen studies were included in current review. The meta-analysis indicated significant beneficial effects of peer support on QOL (SMD = 0.48, 95% CI 0.21–0.75; p < 0.001), depression (SMD = ?0.23, 95% CI ?0.39 to ?0.07; p = 0.005), anxiety (SMD = ?0.24, 95% CI ?0.45 to 0.03; p = 0.03), and self-efficacy (SMD = 0.22, 95% CI 0.03–0.42; p = 0.03) relative to controls. The subgroup analysis for QOL revealed that peer support delivered in the mixed mode contributed more than peer support delivered in the single mode (e.g., face-to-face or telephone).ConclusionPeer support has significant effects on improving QOL and self-efficacy as well as alleviating depression and anxiety among patients with cancer. Additional randomized controlled trials with rigorous design and larger sample sizes are warranted in the future.Practice implicationsPeer support programs might benefit patients with cancer and could be used as a complementary approach to traditional healthcare services during cancer rehabilitation.     

Prevalence of fibromyalgia and chronic widespread pain in community-dwelling elderly subjects living in São Paulo,Brazil

Objectives

To estimate the prevalence of fibromyalgia (FM) and chronic widespread pain (CWP) in community-dwelling elderly individuals living in São Paulo, to assess the spectrum of problems related to these diseases using the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) and to correlate the FIQ with the number of tender points and with pain threshold.

Methods

Our sample consisted of 361 individuals (64% women, 36% men, mean age of 73.3 ± 5.7 years). Individuals were classified into four groups: FM (according to American College of Rheumatology criteria), CWP, regional pain (RP) and no pain (NP). Pain characteristics and dolorimetry for 18 tender points and the FIQ were assessed.

Results

The prevalence of FM was 5.5% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 5.4–5.7], and the prevalence of CWP was 14.1% (95% CI: 10.5–17.7%). The frequency of RP was 52.6% and the prevalence of NP was 27.7%. FIQ scores were higher in people with FM (44.5), followed by CWP (31.4), RP (18.1) and NP (5.5) (p < 0.001). There was a positive correlation between the domains of the FIQ and the number of tender points (p < 0.05), and a negative correlation between FIQ score and pain threshold (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

In our elderly subjects, the prevalence of FM was slightly higher compared to previously reported studies, and CWP was around 14%. The spectrum of problems related to chronic pain was more severe in FM followed by CWP, strongly suggesting that these conditions should be diagnosed and adequately treated in older individuals.     

To support and to be supported. A qualitative study of peer support centres in cancer care in Norway

Objective

To explore what peer supporters, patients and their relatives want and gain from peer support in cancer care.

同伴支持、父母支持和青少年自我价值感初探

目的：探讨实际的同伴支持、感知到的同伴支持、感知到的父母支持、对同伴支持的重要性评价、对父母支持的重要性评价和自我价值感之间的关系。同时也考察了青少年的同伴接受性。方法：用社会测量法和自我报告法对285名青少年进行集体测试。结果：①社会测量法表明青少年也可以被分为受欢迎的、被拒绝的、被忽略的、和有争议的；②感知到的同伴／父母支持和自我价值感之间存在显著正相关；高低实际同伴支持两组被试在感知到的同伴支持上存在显著差异。但在自我价值感上不存在显著差异；（固在所有被试中，只有对初三学生来说，对同伴／父母支持的重要性评价在感知到的同伴／父母支持和自我价值感之间起到调节作用。结论：感知到的同伴／父母支持可以用来预测青少年的自我价值感：对初三学生来说，对同伴／父母支持的重要性评价可以在感知到的同伴／父母支持和自我价值感之间起到调节作用。     

Coping,social support,and attachment style as psychosocial correlates of adjustment in men and women with HIV/AIDS

The purpose of this study was to examine psychosocial correlates of adjustment to HIV/AIDS in a sample of 137 HIV-positive persons (78 men and 59 women). Multiple regression analysis was used to examine relationships between perceived quality of general social support, three attachment styles, and three coping styles with total score on Positive States of Mind Scale (PSOMS), our measure of adjustment. The influence of demographic and medical status variables was also accounted for. PSOMS total score was significantly associated with greater satisfaction with social support related to HIV/AIDS, more secure attachment style, and less use of behavioral disengagement in coping with HIV/AIDS. These results indicate that for people with HIV or AIDS, those individuals who are more satisfied with their relationships, securely engaged with others, and more directly engaged with their illness are more likely to experience positive adjustment. Implications for physical health outcome and opportunities for intervention are discussed.     

Increased capsaicin-induced secondary hyperalgesia as a marker of abnormal sensory activity in patients with fibromyalgia

In this study, capsaicin-induced secondary hyperalgesia was assessed as a marker of abnormal nociceptive processing in patients with fibromyalgia (FM). The area of mechanical secondary hyperalgesia induced by a standard solution of capsaicin placed on the volar forearm was measured in ten patients with FM and the results compared to those obtained in ten patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and ten normal subjects. The area of secondary hyperalgesia was found to be substantially increased in both the FM and RA groups compared with controls. In the FM group the area of hyperalgesia correlated with the overall pain score and with the joint tenderness score. The results suggest that in FM there is enhanced sensitivity of nociceptive neurones at a spinal level, thereby supporting the concept of a generalised disturbance of pain modulation in this disorder.     

Parent-to-parent peer support for parents of children with a disability: A mixed method study

ObjectivesThis paper will report on the findings of a study which investigated the influence of a befriending (parent-to-parent peer support) scheme on parents whose children have a disability or additional need. The scheme operated from an acute children’s tertiary setting in the UK.MethodsA prospective concurrent mixed method design collected interview (n = 70) and questionnaire (n = 68) data at two time-points from befrienders (n = 13) and befriendees (n = 26).ResultsThe main qualitative findings of the study relate to the different degrees parents (befriendees and befrienders) moved from being lost, to finding and being a guide and getting to a better place. The quantitative findings demonstrate that parent-to-parent peer support has a positive influence on parents’ levels of psychological distress and their ability to cope with being a parent of a child with a disability.ConclusionThe befriending scheme acted as a catalyst for many parents to move towards a place where they could grow and begin to flourish and thrive.Practice implicationsProfessionals should inform parents who have a child with a disability that peer-to-peer parenting support schemes are a valuable and appropriate source of support and help.