Assessment of nutritional status and eating disorders in female adolescents with fibromyalgia.

PURPOSE: To assess eating disorders, nutritional status, body composition, and food intake in adolescents presenting with fibromyalgia. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, we evaluated the nutritional status (z score of body mass index [ZBMI]), waist circumference, body fat percentage by bioelectrical impedance analysis, symptoms of disordered eating, and possible eating disorders (Kids' Eating Disorders Survey [KEDS]) of 23 female adolescents with fibromyalgia and 23 matched healthy control subjects. RESULTS: Median age for both groups was 15 years. In the fibromyalgia group, the median time for diagnosis was 13.5 months. We did not observe a statistically significant difference between the control and fibromyalgia groups in relation to ZBMI, fat mass percentage, food intake, and symptoms of disordered eating (KEDS). In the fibromyalgia group, there was a significant correlation between fat mass percentage and the total KEDS score (r = .587, p = .003); the same correlation was observed for ZBMI (r = .0778, p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: This study verified an absence of nutritional and eating disorders in adolescents recently diagnosed with fibromyalgia that, in addition to the correlation between adiposity indexes and KEDS total score, emphasizes the importance of nutritional and body composition assessment, allowing an early and adequate nutritional intervention.

Dor musculoesquelética idiopática difusa na infância e na adolescência / Diffuse idiopathic musculoskeletal pain in childhood and adolescence

OBJETIVO: A dor musculoesquelética difusa idiopática persistente ou intermitente é definida pela presença de dor com duração de três meses ou mais, sem etiologia aparente, e tem acometido cada vez mais crianças e adolescentes. Este estudo objetivou relatar dois pacientes com dor incapacitante submetidos à abordagem e ao tratamento multiprofissional, além de discutir o tratamento conduzido, por meio de revisão da literatura atual. DESCRIÇÃO DO CASO: O primeiro caso é de uma menina com nove anos de idade, com histórico de cefaleia, dor mus-culoesquelética e dor abdominal há dois anos, período no qual apresentou quatro episódios de ausência de marcha, sem causas orgânicas aparentes. O segundo caso refere-se a uma adolescente de 14 anos com lombalgia diária há 14 meses de forte intensidade, com irradiação para membros inferiores, acompanhada de cefaleia, fadiga e adinamia. Ambas apresentavam exame físico normal, exceto pela presença de alodínia (caso 1) e pontos de fibromialgia (caso 2); além de exames subsidiários normais, sem justificativas orgânicas para as queixas dolorosas. Houve melhora clínica significativa após diagnóstico e tratamento diferencial por meio de abordagem multiprofissional (médico, psicólogo, fisioterapeuta e nutricionista), com retomada das atividades regulares pelas pacientes. COMENTÁRIOS: A atuação integrada da equipe em um curto período de tempo proporcionou às pacientes a retomada de suas atividades normais, visto que fatores emocionais, físicos e nutricionais relacionam-se à dor.

OBJECTIVE: Persistent or intermittent diffuse idiopathic musculoskeletal pain is defined by the presence of pain over three months with no apparent etiology. The diagnosis of this condition in children and adolescents is increasing. The objective of this study was to report the cases of two patients with disabling pain that received multidiscipli-nary treatment and to review the current literature about this subject. CASE DESCRIPTION: The first patient is a nine-year old girl with history of headache, musculoskeletal pain and abdominal pain for two years. During this period she had four episodes of absence of gait with no apparent organic cause. The second patient is a 14-year girl with severe daily low back pain for 14 months, followed by headache and fatigue. Both patients presented a normal physical examina-tion, except for allodynia (case 1) and fibromyalgia tender points (case 2). All tests resulted negative regarding the search for organic reasons for pain complaints. Significant clinical improvement was observed with a multidisciplinary approach offered by pediatricians, psychologists, physical therapists, and nutritionists. Both patients resumed their daily regular activities. COMMENTS: Team integrated performance in a short-term period can provide the attenuation of pain symptoms since emotional, physical and nutritional factors are related to the pain expressed by the patients.