A systematic review and a comprehensive approach to PhD students' wellbeing.

The pursuit of a doctoral degree is a challenging process that can have a negative impact on the wellbeing of PhD students. Therefore, the aim here is to offer a systematic review of the current state of the literature on wellbeing among PhD students and the variables it involves in order to build an integrative model that will enrich future research. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology for systematic reviews has been used to lay out the process in a flow diagram. We systematically review studies up to 2021 (N = 38) published on the Web of Science and SCOPUS databases. The results show the current state of the literature on wellbeing in PhD students, the characteristics of the studies (location, study design, and sample), how the literature defines the concept, the variables involved, the study limitations, and future perspectives to improve the quality of life of doctoral students. Finally, a comprehensive approach to the topic is presented in an integrative model that encompasses all variables identified in the literature and offers a guide for future research.

Spiritual well-being, faith, meaning in life, peace, and purpose in life for cancer-related fatigue: systematic review with meta-analysis and meta-regressions.

BACKGROUND: Cancer-related fatigue is associated with spiritual distress. Spiritual well-being, characterized by the presence of factors such as meaning in life or purpose in life, seems to play an important role in the management of symptoms of cancer. Currently, the number of studies evaluating the association between cancer-related fatigue and spiritual well-being is increasing and no systematic review has been conducted. AIM: To summarize the association between cancer-related fatigue and spiritual well-being, faith, meaning in life, peace, and purpose in life. DESIGN: A systematic review with meta-analysis. DATA SOURCES: The CINAHL, Embase, PsycINFO, and PubMed databases were searched from inception to 9 October 2023. We considered studies evaluating the cross-sectional or longitudinal association between cancer-related fatigue and the spiritual factors above mentioned. The Joanna Briggs Institute Checklist for Analytical Cross-Sectional Studies and the Quality in Prognosis Studies tool assessed the methodological quality of cross-sectional and longitudinal studies, respectively. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system rated the certainty of evidence. Meta-analyses, meta-regressions, subgroup meta-analyses, and sensitivity analyses were conducted. RESULTS: A total of 13 studies were included and no longitudinal findings were found. One meta-analysis showed that cancer-related fatigue may be negatively correlated with spiritual well-being (r = - 0.37 (95%CI - 0.44 to - 0.28) p < 0.01). In addition, another meta-analysis found the correlation between cancer-related fatigue and faith was not statistically significant (r = - 0.25 (95%CI - 0.66 to 0.28) p = 0.36). CONCLUSIONS: Cancer-related fatigue may be correlated with spiritual well-being. However, the certainty of evidence was very low across the meta-analyzed outcomes. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: A negative correlation was observed between spiritual well-being and cancer-related fatigue.

How can clinicians enhance self-efficacy beliefs in osteoarthritis? An overview of systematic reviews with meta-analysis.

This overview of reviews aimed to synthesize the effectiveness of non-pharmacological approaches to enhance self-efficacy in people with osteoarthritis. The CINAHL, Embase, PsycINFO, PubMed, SPORTDiscus, and the Cochrane Library databases were searched from inception to December 2023. We considered systematic reviews with meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials evaluating any non-pharmacological intervention. We used AMSTAR 2 to assess the methodological quality of reviews. The overlap between reviews was calculated. We included eight systematic reviews with meta-analysis evaluating 30 different clinical trials. Overall, mind-body exercises, psychological interventions, and self-management strategies may improve arthritis self-efficacy. Specifically, the meta-analyses showed tai chi exercises, coping skills training, and the arthritis self-management program are more effective than controls to enhance arthritis self-efficacy in people with hip and/or knee osteoarthritis. In addition, inconsistent results were detected across meta-analyses regarding the effectiveness of multidisciplinary interventions. Finally, the degree of overlap between all reviews was moderate (CCA = 6%) and many included reviews reported most of the items of AMSTAR 2. Tai chi exercises, coping skills training, and the arthritis self-management program may be beneficial for enhancing arthritis self-efficacy. Open Science Framework Registration: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/VX2T6 .

The prevalence of anxiety and depression in cancer around the world: An overview of systematic reviews evaluating 128 meta-analyses.

BACKGROUND: This overview of systematic reviews with meta-analysis summarized the prevalence of anxiety and depression in different types of tumors around the world. METHODS: The quality of reviews was assessed. The degree of overlap between reviews was calculated. The regional prevalence of anxiety and depression was shown in the main text based on the World Health Organization regions. RESULTS: Twenty-five reviews including 128 meta-analyses of interest were selected. The pooled prevalence of anxiety in breast tumors was in Africa (19 %), the Americas (38 %), Eastern Mediterranean (56 %), Europe (38 %), South-East Asia (42 %), and Western Pacific (26 %). The pooled prevalence of depression in breast tumors was in Africa (40 %), the Americas (23-25 %), Eastern Mediterranean (49-51 %), Europe (27-29 %), South-East Asia (23-33 %), Western Pacific (29 %). The pooled prevalence of depression in digestive tumors was in the Americas (4-44 %), Eastern Mediterranean (42 %), Europe (20-27 %), South-East Asia (66 %), and Western Pacific (24-40 %). The pooled national prevalence of anxiety and depression was mainly evaluated in China and Iran. LIMITATIONS: Important methodological issues were identified. For example, no reviews judged the certainty of evidence. CONCLUSIONS: The Eastern Mediterranean region showed the highest prevalence of anxiety and depression for breast tumors. The South-East Asian region showed the highest prevalence of depression for digestive tumors. In these regions, many countries are considered low-income and middle-income countries. Further research funding would help increase the investigation on this topic, which may allow the development of preventive strategies that reduce the prevalence of anxiety and depression.

Effective Coping with Academic Stress Is a Matter of Personality Types: Revisiting the Person-Centred Approach.

Recent literature provides alarming data on the increase in university academic stress. The role of personality in understanding and addressing this problem is well established. However, this evidence could be improved by adopting a person-centred approach (e.g., types), as opposed to the usual variable-centred approach (e.g., traits), and considering the role of gender. Our aim was to explore how personality types and gender relate to coping strategies and perceived coping efficacy for academic stress. A total of 810 university psychology students completed the NEO-FFI Inventory and the Coping Strategies Inventory. Post hoc tests for MANOVA and ANOVA were performed. Types and gender were used as predictors and coping strategies, and perceived coping efficacy as criteria. There was no type-gender interaction. Types combining low neuroticism-high conscientiousness (e.g., entrepreneur) chose the most adaptive coping strategies and showed the highest levels of perceived coping efficacy, while high neuroticism-low conscientiousness types (e.g., insecure) opted for maladaptive coping strategies and presented the lowest perceived coping efficacy. Gender was not associated with perceived coping efficacy but with use (e.g., women prefer emotional expression). The personality typology provided useful information on individual differences in coping with academic stress, which can help guide specific strategies to manage it.

Psychological and spiritual interventions to enhance meaning in adults diagnosed with cancer: a systematic review with meta-analysis and meta-regression.

OBJECTIVE: To summarize the evidence on the effectiveness that psychological and/or spiritual interventions may have to change the levels of meaning, measured with the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being Scale (FACIT-Sp), in adults diagnosed with cancer. METHODS: Systematic review with meta-analysis and meta-regression. CINAHL (via EBSCOhost), Embase, PubMed, PsycINFO (via ProQuest), and the Cochrane Library were searched from inception to 21st October 2022. Manual searches were conducted. Only randomized clinical trials (RCTs) were included. The risk of bias was assessed with the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool 2. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) approach was used to judge the certainty of the evidence. RESULTS: Eight RCTs were included (N = 1682). Although some individual studies showed positive effects to enhance meaning using mindfulness or dignity therapy, the overall and individual meta-analyses showed a lack of effect of psychological and spiritual interventions in comparison to comparator interventions (MD (95%CI) = -0.19 (-0.45 to 0.06), p = 0.11, Tau2 = 0.0015, I2 = 2%). Publication bias was undetected (Egger's test = 0.35). Furthermore, no RCTs were judged to have a low risk of bias and the overall certainty of the evidence was judged as low. Meta-regression and subgroups meta-analyses also found possible sources of heterogeneity such as some cancer characteristics, the educational stage, or the religious affiliation. CONCLUSIONS: Despite some RCTs may show promising results following mindfulness or dignity therapy, no effects were observed in the meta-analysis. Moreover, important methodological and clinical concerns precluded us to make sound clinical recommendations with the available evidence. OPEN SCIENCE FRAMEWORK DOI REGISTRATION: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/4YMTK .

Integrative model for self-perception of well-being in cancer.

PURPOSE: Continual illness uncertainty can affect how people perceive and interpret their well-being. Some cognitive and spiritual factors may be involved in the management of disruptive thoughts and emotions that can emerge during the experience of cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An evidence-based integrative model was developed to evaluate and show the role that mindfulness, acceptance, self-efficacy, uncertainty, meaning, and purpose in life play in the self-perception of well-being in individuals with cancer. This evidence-based integrative model was conducted using relevant and selected studies. RESULTS: An integrative model for self-perception of well-being has been proposed. This model integrates evidence-based findings and provides clear principles for clinicians and researchers. This integrative model proposes that mindfulness, acceptance, self-efficacy perception, and uncertainty can predict how people with cancer perceive their well-being. The model also posits that meaning and purpose in life can act as mediators or moderators of this prediction. CONCLUSIONS: This integrative model involves the multidimensionality of human beings and facilitates the understanding of some key factors for the design of therapeutic approaches such as Acceptance & Commitment Therapy or Meaning-Centered Psychotherapy.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONMindfulness, acceptance, self-efficacy, uncertainty, meaning, and purpose in life can be highly relevant for clinical oncology.An integrative model is proposed to understand the combined influence of these factors on patients with cancer.This model may favor a better integration of well-known interventions, such as Mindfulness-based approaches, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Meaning-Centered Psychotherapy (MCP).

Meaning and purpose in life, happiness, and life satisfaction in cancer: Systematic review with meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To summarize current evidence on the potential cross-sectional and longitudinal association between meaning or purpose in life and subjective happiness or life satisfaction among cancer patients. METHODS: A systematic review with meta-analysis and meta-regression was conducted. CINAHL (via EBSCOhost), Embase, PubMed, and PsycINFO (via ProQuest) were searched from inception to 31 December 2022. In addition, manual searches were performed. The risk of bias in cross-sectional and longitudinal studies was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Checklist for Analytical Cross-Sectional Studies and the Quality in Prognosis Studies tool, respectively. Certainty in the evidence was judged using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations approach. Meta-regressions and sensitivity analyses were performed to explore potential sources of heterogeneity. RESULTS: We included 13 cross-sectional studies, comprising 12 different samples, and a longitudinal study. A total of 4968 individuals with cancer were interviewed across included studies. Certainty in the evidence was judged as very low for all outcomes, which was associated to serious concerns on risk of bias and imprecision of the results, and very serious concerns on indirectness of evidence. The assessed studies showed a marked heterogeneity in terms of participants' clinical (i.e., disease stage) and sociodemographic factors. A lack of reporting of these clinical and sociodemographic aspects were also evident among included studies. CONCLUSIONS: The wide number of methodological flaws detected in this systematic review preclude to make any clinical recommendation. More rigorous high-quality observational studies should guide future research on this topic.

Profile of Mood States Factor Structure Does Not Accurately Account for Patients with Chronic Pain.

OBJECTIVE: The need for measuring emotional functioning in patients with chronic pain was recognized decades ago. The Initiative on Methods, Measures, and Pain Assessment in Clinical Trials (IMMPACT) proposed the Profile of Mood States for this purpose. However, to date, its factor structure has not been confirmed in these patients. METHODS: We set out to use confirmatory factor analysis to test the theoretical structure of seven factors: Tension-Anxiety, Depression-Dejection, Anger-Hostility, Vigor-Activity, Fatigue-Inertia, Confusion-Bewilderment, and Friendliness. PARTICIPANTS: The sample consisted of 588 Spanish adult patients with chronic pain. RESULTS: The original structure could not be verified according to the obtained fit indices (e.g., root-mean-square error of approximation = 0.11). For this reason, we carried out a second study that relied on exploratory factor analysis to evaluate the structure in half of the cases and confirmatory factor analysis to validate it in the other half. The factor structure detected in the exploratory factor analysis was not satisfactory, nor could it be validated with confirmatory factor analysis (e.g., normed fit index between 0.54 and 0.56). CONCLUSIONS: The factor structure of the Profile of Mood States could not be satisfactorily confirmed. Consequently, other mood measures and shorter, optimized versions of the POMS are discussed as possible alternatives.

Latent structure and factor invariance of somatic symptoms in the patient health questionnaire (PHQ-15).

BACKGROUND: Somatic symptoms are highly prevalent in primary care although insufficiently understood. The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-15) is a valuable screening test but it has not yet been possible to unequivocally demonstrate its latent structure and measurement invariance. METHODS: A total of 1,255 patients from 28 primary care centres suffering symptoms of anxiety, depression or somatisation participated in a clinical trial. They completed the PHQ-15 at baseline and 374 retook it at three months. Exploratory structural equation modelling (ESEM) was used to compare three models: 1) a single global factor for somatisation, 2) four specific correlated factors, and 3) a bifactor model integrating the first two models. RESULTS: A multi-group invariance analysis of the best-fit model was performed: the bifactor model (χ2=25.17, df=23, p = 0.34, RMSEA=0.009, CFI=1.00, TLI=0.999). Strict invariance was good for both gender (RMSEA = 0.046, CFI = 0.973, TLI = 0.963) and age (RMSEA = 0.048, CFI = 0.964, TLI = 0.962). Configural and metric invariance were confirmed for moment of assessment, but scalar invariance was not. LIMITATIONS: The two main limitations were the sample (primary care patients with emotional disorders), which was not representative of the general population, and the utilisation of ESEM (vs. confirmatory factor analysis), which did not allow a second-order factor model to be tested. CONCLUSIONS: PHQ-15 showed a bifactor structure, providing both a single global measure of somatisation and specific measures of pain, gastrointestinal, cardiopulmonary and fatigue factors. Its factor invariance with regard to both gender and age was confirmed.

Empathic Accuracy in Chronic Pain: Exploring Patient and Informal Caregiver Differences and Their Personality Correlates.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Social factors have demonstrated to affect pain intensity and quality of life of pain patients, such as social support or the attitudes and responses of the main informal caregiver. Similarly, pain has negative consequences on the patient's social environment. However, it is still rare to include social factors in pain research and treatment. This study compares patient and caregivers' accuracy, as well as explores personality and health correlates of empathic accuracy in patients and caregivers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study comprised 292 chronic pain patients from the Pain Clinic of the Vall d'Hebron Hospital in Spain (main age = 59.4 years; 66.8% females) and their main informal caregivers (main age = 53.5 years; 51.0% females; 68.5% couples). RESULTS: Patients were relatively inaccurate at estimating the interference of pain on their counterparts (t = 2.16; p = 0.032), while informal caregivers estimated well the patient's status (all differences p > 0.05). Empathic accuracy on patient and caregiver status did not differ across types of relationship (i.e., couple or other; all differences p > 0.05). Sex differences in estimation only occurred for disagreement in pain severity, with female caregivers showing higher overestimation (t = 2.18; p = 0.030). Patients' health status and caregivers' personality were significant correlates of empathic accuracy. Overall, estimation was poorer when patients presented higher physical functioning. Similarly, caregiver had more difficulties in estimating the patient's pain interference as patient general and mental health increased (r = 0.16, p = 0.008, and r = 0.15, p = 0.009, respectively). Caregiver openness was linked to a more accurate estimation of a patient's status (r = 0.20, p < 0.001), while caregiver agreeableness was related to a patient's greater accuracy of their caregivers' pain interference (r = 0.15, p = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS: Patients poorly estimate the impact of their illness compared to caregivers, regardless of their relationship. Some personality characteristics in the caregiver and health outcomes in the patient are associated with empathic inaccuracy, which should guide clinicians when selecting who requires more active training on empathy in pain settings.

Hypnosis is More Effective than Clinical Interviews.

To determine whether hypnosis is more effective than conventional interviewing to find traumatic life events in patients with fibromyalgia, we carried out a within-subject experimental design with complete intragroup counterbalancing. Thirty-two women under care in a public primary care center gave 2 identical interviews, with an interval of 3 months, in which the occurrence of traumatic life events was explored, once in a state of wakefulness and once in a state of hypnosis. The state of consciousness was evaluated using 3 measures: bispectral index, skin conductance level, and pain intensity. In the hypnotic state, the patients expressed 9.8 times more traumatic life events than in the waking state, a statistically significant difference with a large effect size.

Effect of coenzyme Q10 evaluated by 1990 and 2010 ACR Diagnostic Criteria for Fibromyalgia and SCL-90-R: four case reports and literature review.

Recently, Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) deficiency has been implicated in the pathophysiology of fibromyalgia (FM). It is our objective to present the findings of the FM evaluation before and after oral CoQ10 treatment using the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Diagnostic Criteria of 1990 and 2010, and Symptom Checklist-Revised (Scl-90-R). Four patients with FM were examined using the trigger points, the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire, visual analog scale (pain, fatigue, and sleep), Widespread Pain Index, symptom severity scale, and Scl-90-R. Previously, CoQ10 contents from patients were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. All patients showed CoQ10 deficiency. All patients meet the ACR 1990 and 2010 criteria. After treatment, all patients showed an important improvement in clinical symptoms in all evaluation methods. According to our results, and evaluated by three methods, patients with FM are candidates for treatment with CoQ10. However, more controlled clinical trials and investigations are needed to clarify the precise mechanism(s) by which CoQ10 may contribute in pathological and therapeutic processes of FM and to provide data on its effectiveness in FM.

Locus of control patterns in headaches and chronic pain.

BACKGROUND: Locus of control (LOC) is related to the impact of headaches and chronic pain; however, literature evidence regarding LOC is not always consistent. Several authors consider this to be due, in part, to the separate interpretation of LOC factors, during which the interaction among them is ignored. In 1982, Wallston and Wallston proposed eight possible LOC health patterns depending on whether the individual scored high or low in each of three dimensions. OBJECTIVE: To identify these LOC patterns in patients with headaches and chronic pain, and to validate them in terms of their association with a selection of the main pain indicators. METHODS: A total of 228 individuals were recruited at three public centres in Seville, Spain. Participants completed a semistructured clinical interview and several questionnaires assessing psychological variables related to pain. The main statistical analyses used were two-step cluster analysis and ANCOVA. RESULTS: The six-cluster solution was optimal. The patterns observed coincided with: the believer in control; the yea-sayer; the pure chance; the pure internal; the pure professional; and the nay-sayer clusters. The double external or type VI clusters were not observed. Clusters could be classified from the best to the worst adjustment to chronic pain. CONCLUSIONS: These results support the empirical validity of the theoretical model of LOC patterns proposed in 1982 by Wallston and Wallston among a chronic pain population. The analysis of patterns provides more accurate information regarding the adjustment to pain compared with analysis of the LOC factors separately.

Oxidative stress correlates with headache symptoms in fibromyalgia: coenzyme Q10 effect on clinical improvement.

BACKGROUND: Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic pain syndrome with unknown etiology and a wide spectrum of symptoms such as allodynia, debilitating fatigue, joint stiffness and migraine. Recent studies have shown some evidences demonstrating that oxidative stress is associated to clinical symptoms in FM of fibromyalgia. We examined oxidative stress and bioenergetic status in blood mononuclear cells (BMCs) and its association to headache symptoms in FM patients. The effects of oral coenzyme Q(10) (CoQ(10)) supplementation on biochemical markers and clinical improvement were also evaluated. METHODS: We studied 20 FM patients and 15 healthy controls. Clinical parameters were evaluated using the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), visual analogues scales (VAS), and the Headache Impact Test (HIT-6). Oxidative stress was determined by measuring CoQ(10), catalase and lipid peroxidation (LPO) levels in BMCs. Bioenergetic status was assessed by measuring ATP levels in BMCs. RESULTS: We found decreased CoQ(10), catalase and ATP levels in BMCs from FM patients as compared to normal control (P < 0.05 and P < 0.001, respectively) We also found increased level of LPO in BMCs from FM patients as compared to normal control (P < 0.001). Significant negative correlations between CoQ(10) or catalase levels in BMCs and headache parameters were observed (r  = -0.59, P < 0.05; r  =  -0.68, P < 0.05, respectively). Furthermore, LPO levels showed a significant positive correlation with HIT-6 (r = 0.33, P<0.05). Oral CoQ(10) supplementation restored biochemical parameters and induced a significant improvement in clinical and headache symptoms (P < 0.001). DISCUSSION: The results of this study suggest a role for mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress in the headache symptoms associated with FM. CoQ10 supplementation should be examined in a larger placebo controlled trial as a possible treatment in FM.

Coenzyme Q(10): a novel therapeutic approach for Fibromyalgia? case series with 5 patients.

Coenzyme Q(10) (CoQ(10)) is an essential electron carrier in the mitochondrial respiratory chain and a strong antioxidant. Low CoQ(10) levels have been detected in patients with Fibromyalgia (FM). The purpose of the present work was to assess the effect of CoQ(10) on symptoms of five patients with FM. Patients were evaluated clinically with Visual Analogical Scale of pain (VAS), and Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ). Patients with CoQ(10) deficiency showed a statistically significant reduction on symptoms after CoQ(10) treatment during 9 months (300 mg/day). Determination of deficiency and consequent supplementation in FM may result in clinical improvement. Further analysis involving more scientifically rigorous methodology will be required to confirm this observation.

Bajos valores de serotonina en suero se correlacionan con la gravedad de los síntomas de la fibromialgia / Low levels of serotonin in serum correlates with severity of fibromyalgia

Objetivo: La fibromialgia es un síndrome de dolor crónico generalizado de etiología desconocida, que afecta predominantemente a mujeres. Dentro de las hipótesis que se han descrito como posibles mecanismos etiopatogénicos destaca la alteración de los valores y metabolismo de la serotonina y su relación con los síntomas en la fibromialgia. El objetivo del presente estudio fue demostrar si existía una correlación entre valores bajos de serotonina y los síntomas de la fibromialgia. Pacientes y método: Se determinó la concentración de serotonina sérica mediante enzimoinmunoensayo en una muestra de 38 pacientes y 25 sujetos sanos. Se correlacionaron los resultados con los síntomas relacionados con el dolor, la depresión, el impacto de la enfermedad (mediante el test Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire [FIQ]) y la edad de las pacientes. Resultados: Las pacientes presentaban un descenso de los valores de serotonina de un 45% respecto a los sujetos sanos. Se observó correlación con los parámetros predeterminados de dolor, depresión, FIQ y edad.Conclusión: Los valores de serotonina correlacionan con la gravedad de la fibromialgia. Además, existe una relación entre la edad y el descenso de la serotonina (AU)

Objetive: Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic pain syndrome of unknown etiology, which affects predominantly women. Among the alterations that have been implicated in the pathophysiology of FM, there have been postulated disturbances in serotonin levels and metabolism, and their implication in symptoms. The aim of the present study was to assess the correlation levels between low levels of serotonin and severity of symptoms in FM. Patients and methods: We determined serotonin levels using an ELISA kit in serum from 38 FM patients and 25 healthy individual. Results were correlated with symptoms regarding pain, depression, impact of disease (FIQ) and age. Results: Serotonin levels were decreased by 45% compared to healthy individual. An important correlation was observed between serotonin levels and predetermined parameters of pain, depression, FIQ and age. Conclusion: Serotonin levels are correlated with severity of FM. In addition, there is an interesting correlation between serotonin levels and age of patients (AU)

[Low levels of serotonin in serum correlates with severity of fibromyalgia]. / Bajos valores de serotonina en suero se correlacionan con la gravedad de los síntomas de la fibromialgia.

OBJECTIVE: Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic pain syndrome of unknown etiology, which affects predominantly women. Among the alterations that have been implicated in the pathophysiology of FM, there have been postulated disturbances in serotonin levels and metabolism, and their implication in symptoms. The aim of the present study was to assess the correlation levels between low levels of serotonin and severity of symptoms in FM. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We determined serotonin levels using an ELISA kit in serum from 38 FM patients and 25 healthy individual. Results were correlated with symptoms regarding pain, depression, impact of disease (FIQ) and age. RESULTS: Serotonin levels were decreased by 45% compared to healthy individual. An important correlation was observed between serotonin levels and predetermined parameters of pain, depression, FIQ and age. CONCLUSION: Serotonin levels are correlated with severity of FM. In addition, there is an interesting correlation between serotonin levels and age of patients.

Avances en psicoterapia cognitiva en España. Introducción al monográfico / Advances in cognitive psychotherapy in Spain. Introduction to the monograph

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