The effect of vitamin D treatment on quality of life in patients with fibromyalgia.

BACKGROUND: Fibromyalgia is a syndrome characterized by chronic widespread pain accompanied by fatigue, disrupted sleep quality, cognitive impairments, subjective soft tissue swelling, and somatic symptoms. There are conflicting results in the literature regarding the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in fibromyalgia patients and the reduction of symptoms after supplementation. AIMS: Our study aims to evaluate the effectiveness and reliability of vitamin D supplementation in patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia. METHODS: In our cross-sectional clinical study, 180 female patients aged 18 to 65 diagnosed with fibromyalgia according to the 2010 American College of Rheumatology Diagnostic Criteria were included. Oral vitamin D3 replacement of 50,000 IU was administered for 12 weeks. Patients' Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ)and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores were evaluated before and after the study. RESULTS: Significant differences were observed in the FIQ scores of the 180 fibromyalgia patients before and after vitamin D supplementation (p < 0.05). There was also a significant improvement in VAS scores (p < 0.01). A negative correlation between vitamin D and VAS as well as FIQ scores was found in the study. CONCLUSION: We determined that vitamin D deficiency is significantly more prevalent in patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Vitamin D supplementation was observed to have a positive effect on quality of life and reduction of pain.

Comparison of transcutaneous electrical stimulation and suprascapular nerve blockage for the treatment of hemiplegic shoulder pain.

BACKGROUND: Hemiplegic shoulder pain (HSP) is a common morbidity of stroke. Different treatment modalities can be used for optimizing the results and limiting the possible side effects. This research compares the effects of two therapies used to reduce the pain and improve the quality of life of the patients with HSP. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare the effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and suprascapular nerve blockage (SSNB) in patients with HSP. METHODS: In this clinical research, 24 patients with HSP who participated in a conventional rehabilitation program were randomized into TENS or SSNB treatment groups. A 100 mm visual analogue scale was used to assess the severity of pain. Passive range of motion (ROM) of the shoulder was measured. The Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) was used to evaluate spasticity of the upper extremities, and the Modified Barthel Scale was used to assess activities of daily living (ADL). Quality of life was measured using the Stroke-specific Quality of Life (SS-QoL) questionnaire. RESULTS: The pain scores of the SSNB group decreased more significantly (p< 0.05) than in the TENS group. SS-QoL scores at the 3rd week in both groups were significantly higher than before treatment (p< 0.05). MAS scores and Barthel scores after treatment did not differ significantly between the groups. CONCLUSION: TENS and SSNB were beneficial in relieving pain and increasing passive shoulder ROM and ADL in all patients. The alleviating of pain was faster in patients who underwent SSNB.