Network Analysis for Better Understanding the Complex Psycho-Biological Mechanisms behind Fibromyalgia Syndrome
The aim of this study was to assess potential associations between sensory, cognitive, health-related, and physical variables in women with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) using a network analysis for better understanding the complexity of psycho-biological mechanisms. Demographic, clinical, pressure pa...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-07-01
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| Series: | Diagnostics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/12/8/1845 |
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| author | Juan Antonio Valera-Calero Lars Arendt-Nielsen Margarita Cigarán-Méndez César Fernández-de-las-Peñas Umut Varol |
| author_facet | Juan Antonio Valera-Calero Lars Arendt-Nielsen Margarita Cigarán-Méndez César Fernández-de-las-Peñas Umut Varol |
| author_sort | Juan Antonio Valera-Calero |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The aim of this study was to assess potential associations between sensory, cognitive, health-related, and physical variables in women with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) using a network analysis for better understanding the complexity of psycho-biological mechanisms. Demographic, clinical, pressure pain threshold (PPT), health-related, physical, and psychological/cognitive variables were collected in 126 women with FMS. A network analysis was conducted to quantify the adjusted correlations between the modeled variables and to assess the centrality indices (i.e., the degree of connection with other symptoms in the network and the importance in the system modeled as a network. This model showed several local associations between the variables. Multiple positive correlations between PPTs were observed, being the strongest weight between PPTs over the knee and tibialis anterior (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>ρ</mi><mo>:</mo><mo> </mo></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>0.28). Catastrophism was associated with higher hypervigilance (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mi>ρ</mi></semantics></math></inline-formula>: 0.23) and lower health-related EuroQol-5D (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mi>ρ</mi></semantics></math></inline-formula>: −0.24). The most central variables were PPT over the tibialis anterior (the highest strength centrality), hand grip (the highest harmonic centrality) and Time Up and Go (the highest betweenness centrality). This study, applying network analysis to understand the complex mechanisms of women with FMS, supports a model where sensory-related, psychological/cognitive, health-related, and physical variables are connected. Implications of the current findings, e.g., developing treatments targeting these mechanisms, are discussed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:33:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-200ab0ebec4644bf9254b16525e9c6b0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-4418 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:33:38Z |
| publishDate | 2022-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Diagnostics |
| spelling | doaj.art-200ab0ebec4644bf9254b16525e9c6b02023-12-03T13:31:30ZengMDPI AGDiagnostics2075-44182022-07-01128184510.3390/diagnostics12081845Network Analysis for Better Understanding the Complex Psycho-Biological Mechanisms behind Fibromyalgia SyndromeJuan Antonio Valera-Calero0Lars Arendt-Nielsen1Margarita Cigarán-Méndez2César Fernández-de-las-Peñas3Umut Varol4VALTRADOFI Research Group, Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health, Universidad Camilo José Cela, 28692 Villanueva de la Cañada, SpainCenter for Neuroplasticity and Pain (CNAP), Sanse-Motorisk Interaktion (SMI), Department of Health Science and Technology, Faculty of Medicine, Aalborg University, 9220 Aalborg, DenmarkDepartment of Psychology, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, 28922 Alcorcón, SpainDepartment of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, 28922 Alcorcon, SpainVALTRADOFI Research Group, Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health, Universidad Camilo José Cela, 28692 Villanueva de la Cañada, SpainThe aim of this study was to assess potential associations between sensory, cognitive, health-related, and physical variables in women with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) using a network analysis for better understanding the complexity of psycho-biological mechanisms. Demographic, clinical, pressure pain threshold (PPT), health-related, physical, and psychological/cognitive variables were collected in 126 women with FMS. A network analysis was conducted to quantify the adjusted correlations between the modeled variables and to assess the centrality indices (i.e., the degree of connection with other symptoms in the network and the importance in the system modeled as a network. This model showed several local associations between the variables. Multiple positive correlations between PPTs were observed, being the strongest weight between PPTs over the knee and tibialis anterior (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>ρ</mi><mo>:</mo><mo> </mo></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>0.28). Catastrophism was associated with higher hypervigilance (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mi>ρ</mi></semantics></math></inline-formula>: 0.23) and lower health-related EuroQol-5D (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mi>ρ</mi></semantics></math></inline-formula>: −0.24). The most central variables were PPT over the tibialis anterior (the highest strength centrality), hand grip (the highest harmonic centrality) and Time Up and Go (the highest betweenness centrality). This study, applying network analysis to understand the complex mechanisms of women with FMS, supports a model where sensory-related, psychological/cognitive, health-related, and physical variables are connected. Implications of the current findings, e.g., developing treatments targeting these mechanisms, are discussed.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/12/8/1845network analysisfibromyalgiapainfunctionclinical decision rules |
| spellingShingle | Juan Antonio Valera-Calero Lars Arendt-Nielsen Margarita Cigarán-Méndez César Fernández-de-las-Peñas Umut Varol Network Analysis for Better Understanding the Complex Psycho-Biological Mechanisms behind Fibromyalgia Syndrome Diagnostics network analysis fibromyalgia pain function clinical decision rules |
| title | Network Analysis for Better Understanding the Complex Psycho-Biological Mechanisms behind Fibromyalgia Syndrome |
| title_full | Network Analysis for Better Understanding the Complex Psycho-Biological Mechanisms behind Fibromyalgia Syndrome |
| title_fullStr | Network Analysis for Better Understanding the Complex Psycho-Biological Mechanisms behind Fibromyalgia Syndrome |
| title_full_unstemmed | Network Analysis for Better Understanding the Complex Psycho-Biological Mechanisms behind Fibromyalgia Syndrome |
| title_short | Network Analysis for Better Understanding the Complex Psycho-Biological Mechanisms behind Fibromyalgia Syndrome |
| title_sort | network analysis for better understanding the complex psycho biological mechanisms behind fibromyalgia syndrome |
| topic | network analysis fibromyalgia pain function clinical decision rules |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/12/8/1845 |
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