Session Information
Title: Fibromyalgia, Soft Tissue Disorders, Regional and Specific Clinical Pain Syndromes: Research Focus
Session Type: Abstract Submissions (ACR)
Background/Purpose
Sedentary lifestyle and disabling widespread pain in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) may alter cardiovascular functions and can induce endothelial dysfunction. We evaluated cutaneous microvascular functions and their correlations with severity of disease assessed by revised fibromyalgia impact questionnaire (FIQ) and pain visual analog scale (VAS) in FMS patients, before and after participation in a moderate intensity 4-wk aerobic physical exercise program.
Methods
Forty female FMS patients without any known cardiovascular diseases and 20 healthy age-matched female controls were included in the study. Cutaneous blood flow was measured by a laser Doppler flowmeter (LDF) at the volar skin site of the forearm. Spectral analysis of LDF signals was used to assess the relative contribution of control mechanisms. The local thermal hyperemia was used to test the microvascular functions.
Results
Exercise improved pain VAS (from 8.5±1.5 to 4.7±1.4; p<0.0001) and FIQ scores (from 69.7±7.5 to 43.7±6.4; p<0.0001) and, improvement in myogenic and neurogenic mechanisms showed negative correlations with increase in FIQ scores. In contrast, cardiac signal was positively correlated with the FIQ scores, after exercise. Endothelial function was under the influence of pain, and basal nitric oxit (NO) activity was positively correlated with pain VAS.
Conclusion
These results suggest that the microvascular functions are impaired in FMS patients and, improvement in FIQ/pain score and the enhancement in vascular functions are possible by moderate exercise training.
Disclosure:
E. Esen,
None;
A. Cetin,
None.
« Back to 2014 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting
ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/investigation-of-the-effects-of-physical-exercise-on-the-control-mechanisms-of-cutaneous-circulation-in-patients-with-fibromyalgia-syndrome/