Cardiac and sympathetic baroreflex function in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome

• Grant number: 15/08445-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): July 01, 2015
• Effective date (End): July 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy
• Principal Investigator: Ester da Silva
• Grantee: Antonio Roberto Zamunér
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (CCBS). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 11/22122-5 - Study of the biomechanical, sensorial, cardiorespiratory and quality of life adaptations associated to physical therapy intervention in the fibromyalgic syndrome, AP.TEM

Abstract

Autonomic dysfunction is well established in fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), characterized by higher sympathetic autonomic modulation and lower parasympathetic modulation at rest. However, only few studies have evaluated the cardiac and sympathetic baroreflex sensitivity in women with FMS. Thus, this study aims to evaluate the sympathetic and cardiac baroreflex sensitivity in women with FMS at rest and during orthostatic stimulus. A cross-sectional case-control study will be carried out. Fifteen women with clinical diagnosis of FMS and 15 healthy women (control group, CG) will take part in the study. All participants will be submitted to the simultaneous recording of electrocardiogram, finger blood pressure, respiration and post-ganglionic sympathetic discharge activity (muscle sympathetic nerve activity, MSNA). All variables will be recorded for 20 min at rest and during a stepwise tilt test, up to 75°. Cardiac arterial baroreflex will be analyzed by the sequence method, the index ± and the causal model-based closed loop. The sympathetic baroreflex control will be obtained by evaluating the inverse association between diastolic blood pressure and the occurrence of bursts of MSNA. The normality of the data will be tested by the Shapiro-Wilk test. If the null hypothesis of normality and homogeneity of variance of the data are accepted, a mixed-design analysis of variance will be applied, considering the factors group (FMS and CG) and posture (rest and standing), using Bonferroni's correction as post hoc. Otherwise, the Wilcoxon test will be applied to intra-group comparisons (rest x standing) and the Mann-Whitney test for intergroup comparisons (CG x FMS), with Bonferroni's a priori test. The significance level will be set at 5%.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

ZAMUNER, ANTONIO ROBERTO; PORTA, ALBERTO; ANDRADE, CAROLINA PIERONI; FORTI, MEIRE; MARCHI, ANDREA; FURLAN, RAFFAELLO; BARBIC, FRANCA; CATAI, APARECIDA MARIA; SILVA, ESTER. The degree of cardiac baroreflex involvement during active standing is associated with the quality of life in fibromyalgia patients. PLoS One, v. 12, n. 6, JUN 14 2017. (15/08445-7, 11/22122-5)