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Query: UMLS:C0231528 (myalgia)
 6,565 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Fibromyalgia is a condition with widespread muscle pain. Prevalence studies showed that 2% to 7% of the population have fibromyalgia, which affects approximately one million Canadians. Fibromyalgia is most common in women, but it also involves men and children. As with most chronic illnesses, the causes of fibromyalgia are unknown. However, recent research supports underlying abnormalities in the central nervous system, which supports fibromyalgia as a chronic disease state and valid clinical entity. Pain is the primary symptom, often accompanied by overwhelming fatigue, sleep dysfunction and cognitive impairment. In 1990, the American College of Rheumatology developed diagnostic criteria for the diagnosis of fibromyalgia. Lifestyle changes, including pacing of activities and aerobic exercise, are very important in managing fibromyalgia symptoms. Emotional and behavioural therapy can also be helpful. Controlled trials of antidepressants, gabapentinoids, tramadol, zopiclone and sodium oxybate have shown effectiveness in fibromyalgia patients. Pregabalin and duloxetine were recently approved in the United States. Effective management of fibromyalgia is complex and requires a multidisciplinary treatment approach. Response and tolerance of different therapeutic interventions vary from patient to patient. Recent advances in the pathophysiology of fibromyalgia offer hope for new and improved therapies in the management of this disabling condition.
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PMID:Fibromyalgia: presentation and management with a focus on pharmacological treatment. 1922 4

(1) Fibromyalgia is characterised by a range of symptoms that include muscle pain, fatigue and sleep disorders. Anxiety and depression are often also present. The cause is unknown. More women than men are affected; (2) The following review focuses on differential diagnoses and available treatments for fibromyalgia, based on a review of the literature using the standard Prescrire methodology; (3) Fibromyalgia is mainly diagnosed by excluding other possibilities. The principal differential diagnoses are rheumatic involvement of the spine, systemic inflammatory disorders, and hypothyroidism. Unlike these other conditions, fibromyalgia is not associated with radiological or laboratory abnormalities; (4) Paracetamol has not been compared with other treatments in fibromyalgia. Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs have no specific effect; (5) The only two trials assessing tramadol showed little effect; in one study the average pain score was 53 mm in the tramadol group versus 65 mm in the placebo group, on a scale ranging from 0 to 100 mm. The adverse effects of tramadol are those of opiates in general, mainly nausea and dependence. Tramadol interacts with numerous other drugs; (6) The efficacy of tricyclic antidepressants is also difficult to quantify. Their limited superiority over placebo lasts no more than a few months. The efficacy of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressants (fluoxetine, paroxetine and citalopram), serotonin and nonadrenaline reuptake inhibitors (duloxetine and milnacipran) is even less well established. Duloxetine has been tested in four placebo-controlled trials with unconvincing results; (7) Pregabalin and gabapentin, two antiepileptic drugs, appear to be more effective than placebo but have only been tested in short-term trials. In one trial 44% of patients in the pregabalin group said they felt better after 13 weeks versus 35% of patients in the placebo group. However, adverse effects are frequent and sometimes troublesome (drowsiness, dizziness, nausea, weight gain). In clinical trials, 19% to 33% of patients stopped treatment due to adverse effects after 13 weeks, depending on the dose of pregabalin; (8) Assessments of non-drug treatments in this setting are generally mediocre. The best-assessed alternative therapies (acupuncture and physical exercise) only have a limited effect; (9) In practice, when a patient presents with symptoms compatible with fibromyalgia, the first step is to rule out a treatable condition. Quality of life may be improved by first acknowledging that the pain is real, and possibly by providing psychological, medical, social and occupational support. The limited efficacy of available drugs, and their potential adverse effects, should be discussed with the patient.
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PMID:Fibromyalgia: poorly understood; treatments are disappointing. 1974 61

Myalgia is a common symptom of various neuromuscular disorders: myalgia occurs in metabolic muscle diseases, inflammatory muscle diseases, dystrophic myopathies and myotonic muscle disorders. Myalgia leads to a significantly reduced quality of life. Other muscular symptoms that are present along with myalgia often provide the clue towards a diagnosis and include weakness, cramps and myotonia as well as the type of pain. In addition, extramuscular symptoms like an erythema in dermatomyositis can lead to the correct diagnosis. Basic diagnostic workup includes a detailed medical history, full neurologic assessment, laboratory tests, EMG and nerve conduction studies. Muscle imaging, genetic testing and muscle biopsy may be required to make a diagnosis. Whenever possible, treatment should aim to improve or correct the underlying cause for myalgia such as inflammation or hypothyroidism. Symptomatic therapy includes different avenues: Myotonia can be treated with mexiletine. Carbamazepine or phenytoin can be used in myotonic syndromes, particularly with muscle cramps. Pregabalin, gabapentin, or amitriptyline can be tried in conditions with myalgic pain. This review summarizes the symptoms, diagnostic strategies, and therapeutic approach in neuromuscular disorders that present with myalgia.
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PMID:Myalgia in myositis and myopathies. 3159 Sep 93