Background: Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a complex condition characterized by numerous symptoms, especially long-lasting widespread pain. Available evidence suggests that the main causes of FMS are nociplastic pain mechanisms, but nociceptive and neuropathic pain components can also be involved, which would in these cases characterize FMS as a mixed-pain condition. In 2021, a comprehensive set of clinical criteria and grading systems was developed in accordance with the International Association for the Study of Pain. The establishment of these criteria is an important step toward precision pain medicine, with great potential for the assessment and treatment of FMS.
Objectives: The aim of this study was to develop clinical recommendations for pain phenotyping, including the phenotyping of mixed pain, in patients with FMS.
Study design: Narrative review.
Methods: Within this framework, an international and multidisciplinary group of pain specialists have developed clinical recommendations for integrating a mixed pain phenotype into the current framework of phenotyping FMS. A modified nominal group technique was used to develop the consensus recommendations. A manual is provided to allow clinicians to differentiate between predominant nociplastic pain and mixed pain when phenotyping FMS patients.
Results: A 7-step diagnostic approach, performed in 2 parts, is presented and illustrated using 3 case examples to enhance understanding and encourage effective implementation of this approach in research settings and clinical practice.
Limitations: Studies examining the clinometric properties of these recommendations and this grading system for mixed pain in FMS are warranted.
Conclusion: The current recommendations systematically summarize the methods that allow individuals with FMS to be classified into nociplastic or mixed pain phenotypes, based on potential nociceptive and neuropathic pain components.
Background: Lymphedema is a chronic, progressive condition characterized by excessive fluid retention due to impaired lymphatic drainage. While neuropathic pain is known to affect a significant proportion of chronic pain sufferers, the frequency of neuropathic pain in patients with breast cancer-associated secondary lymphedema remains unclear. This study investigates the prevalence and characteristics of neuropathic pain in women with secondary lymphedema caused by breast cancer treatments.
Objective: To determine the prevalence of neuropathic pain in female patients diagnosed with breast cancer-associated secondary lymphedema and to explore that pain's association with lymphedema severity.
Study design: A cross-sectional study.
Setting: A tertiary hospital physical medicine and rehabilitation center.
Methods: This cross-sectional study included 100 women aged 18 to 65 diagnosed with secondary lymphedema related to breast cancer. Neuropathic pain was assessed using the Self-reported Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs (S-LANSS) and Douleur Neuropathique 4 (DN-4) questionnaires. Lymphedema was staged according to the International Society of Lymphology classification. Data on pain levels and quality of life were collected using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS-11) and the Lymphedema Life Impact Scale (LLIS).
Results: Neuropathic pain was identified in 14% of patients through the DN-4 and 17% through the S-LANSS. A significant correlation was found between higher lymphedema grades and increased neuropathic pain scores (P < 0.001). Patients with Grade 3 lymphedema reported significantly higher pain levels than did those with lower grades.
Limitations: Cross-sectional nature of the study and the single-center design.
Conclusion: Neuropathic pain is prevalent in patients with breast cancer-associated secondary lymphedema, especially in more advanced cases of cancer. Early identification and targeted pain management strategies are crucial to improving the quality of life for these patients.
Background: Chronic low back pain (CLBP) affects over 20% of adults worldwide. Despite the socioeconomic burden caused by this condition, there is no gold standard treatment for CLBP, and its etiology remains nonspecific in 85% of cases. Available evidence indicates that CLBP patients have higher postprandial glycemic responses to beverages that rank high on the glycemic index and that this finding correlates with pain severity. Therefore, understanding modifiable factors that predict blood glucose regulation in CLBP patients could reveal important information for the management of the condition.
Objectives: This study aimed to (1) examine the relationship between predictor variables and the overall glycemic response, measured by the incremental area under the curve (IAUC), and (2) assess the temporal changes in patients' blood glucose levels immediately after sucrose intake. This dual approach enables a nuanced understanding of both the cumulative and immediate impacts of sucrose intake on glycemic control, facilitating insights into personalized management strategies for mitigating glycemic variability.
Study design: A secondary analysis of a case-control randomized controlled crossover trial to identify predictive factors for impaired blood glucose regulation.
Setting: Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium.
Methods: Individuals with chronic low back pain (CLBP) were randomized to consume either a sucrose or isomaltulose beverage. Body composition, dietary intake, physical activity levels, psychological factors, and blood glucose levels were measured. Multiple linear regression was used to examine the relationship between baseline variables and postprandial glucose response following intake of the high-glycemic index beverages, and a linear mixed model (LMM) was applied to assess the relationship between sucrose intake and identified potential predictors.
Results: Our findings revealed that higher weight (P < 0.001; t = -4.06), higher age (P = 0.003; t = 3.06), higher inflammatory dietary properties (P = 0.025; t = 2.28), worse mental health (P = 0.021; t = 2.34), and lower diet quality (P = 0.002; t = 3.22) were associated with a significant predictive value for altered postprandial sucrose responses.
Limitations: This study is a secondary analysis of a crossover case-control trial, so causal interpretations should be made cautiously. Additionally, postprandial glucose was measured using a self-monitoring finger-prick device, which lacked real-time data, and the findings were specific to women and may not apply to men.
Conclusion: These results confirm the potential relevance of targeting lifestyle factors in people with CLBP.

