RESEARCH - Link between pain thresholds, inflammation, and sleep problems in RA patients

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Link Between Pain Thresholds, Inflammation And Sleep Problems In

Arthritis Patients

Article Date: 29 Oct 2009 - 5:00 PDT

Despite recent advances in anti-inflammatory therapy, many rheumatoid

arthritis (RA) patients continue to suffer from pain. Research

published in BioMed Central's open access journal, Arthritis Research

& Therapy found that inflammation is associated with heightened pain

sensitivity at joint sites, whereas increased sleep problems are

associated with heightened pain sensitivity at both joint and

non-joint sites.

Researchers from the Division of Rheumatology and Pain Management

Center of Brigham and Women's Hospital, and the Chronic Pain and

Fatigue Center of the University of Michigan Medical School, assessed

experimental pain sensitivity, disease activity, sleep problems and

psychiatric distress in 59 women with RA. The researchers used

questionnaires to assess the women's sleep problems and psychiatric

distress and measured the levels of C-reactive protein as an indicator

of disease activity. They also measured pain sensitivity with pressure

pain threshold testing at joint and non-joint sites. Lower pain

thresholds are indicative of higher pain sensitivity.

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Read the rest of the article here:

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169148.php

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