RESEARCH - Menstrual cycle influences on pain and emotion in women with fibromyalgia [and RA]

[Guest guest]

J Psychosom Res. 2004 Nov;57(5):451-8.

Menstrual cycle influences on pain and emotion in women with fibromyalgia.

Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin, 1202 West Street,

Madison, WI 53706-1696, USA. calonso@...

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the influence of the menstrual cycle on pain

and emotion in women with fibromyalgia (FM) as compared with women with

rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to healthy controls. METHODS: One hundred and

twenty-five premenopausal women (21-45 years old) participated in this study

(57 with FM, 20 with RA, and 48 controls). Pain and emotion assessments were

conducted during the follicular and the luteal phases of the menstrual

cycle. RESULTS: Women with FM experienced more pain, menstrual symptoms, and

negative affect than did women with RA and the controls. All women reported

less positive affect during the luteal phase, although this pattern was more

pronounced in women with FM and RA than in controls.

CONCLUSION: Although FM pain did not vary across the menstrual cycle, these

results point to the importance of considering the lower level and cyclical

nature of positive affect when studying women with chronic pain.

PMID: 15581648

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve & db=PubMed & list_uids=1\

5581648 & dopt=Citation

Not an MD