Orthostatic stress testing in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic
fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) patients with or without concomitant
fibromyalgia: effects on pressure pain thresholds and temporal
summation
C. (Linda) M.C. van Campen, MD1
Peter C. Rowe, MD2
Freek W.A. Verheugt, MD, PhD3
Frans C. Visser, MD, PhD1
1 Stichting CardioZorg, Planetenweg 5, 2132 HN Hoofddorp, Netherlands
2 Department of Paediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of
Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
3 Onze Lieve Vrouwe Gasthuis (OLVG), Oosterpark 9, 1091 AC, Amsterdam,
Netherlands
Address for correspondence:
C. (Linda) M.C. van Campen,
Planetenweg 5,
2132 HN Hoofddorp
Netherlands
Tel: +31206597888
Fax: +31205241235
Email address:
info@stichtingcardiozorg.nl
Abstract
Introduction: muscle pain/fibromyalgia (FM) is common among individuals
with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). We
recently demonstrated that during orthostatic stress testing, adults
with ME/CFS reported increased pain. In the current study, we
hypothesized that pain pressure thresholds (PPT) would decrease and
temporal summation (windup) would increase after head-up tilt testing
(HUT), and that the presence of co-morbid FM would be associated with
greater change in both measures.
Methods: We studied adult ME/CFS patients undergoing HUT. PPT and
temporal summation (or windup) measurements were obtained pre- and
post-HUT at the finger and shoulder.
Results: 248 ME/CFS patients (164 with FM and 84 without FM), and 22
healthy controls (HC) were analyzed. In HC there were no significant
differences in PPT between pre- and post-HUT (finger: from 4.7(1.6) to
4.4(1.5); shoulder: from 2.8(1.0) to 2.9(1.0)). In ME/CFS patients with
and without FM, a significant decrease in PPT post-HUT was found
compared to HC (both p<0.0001). Patients with FM had a lower
PPT pre- and post-HUT (finger: from 2.0(0.9) to 1.5(0.8); shoulder: from
1.2(0.5) to 1.0(0.5) compared to patients without FM (finger: from
5.0(1.6) to 3.3(1.5); shoulder: from 2.2(0.9) to1.9(1.0) (p ranging from
0.001 to <0.0001). Windup in HC did not significantly change
from pre- to post-HUT. In ME/CFS patients with and without FM windup was
increased compared to HC pre-HUT (both p<0.0001), but did not
significantly change post-HUT.
Conclusions: Pressure pain threshold decreased in ME/CFS patients with
or without fibromyalgia after head-up tilt test (HUT), but did not
change post-HUT in healthy controls. Windup pre-and post-HUT was
significantly higher compared to healthy controls, but did not change
from pre- to post-HUT. These results demonstrate that, like exercise,
orthostatic stress can negatively influence the physiology of pain
perception in ME/CFS.
Keywords : pressure pain threshold, temporal summation, windup,
fibromyalgia, orthostatic intolerance, tilt table test, myalgic
encephalomyelitis, chronic fatigue syndrome.