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Novel Dietary Intervention Produces Significant Improvements in Fibromyalgia Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Author(s) -
Holton Kathleen Feeney,
Taren Douglas L,
Bennett Robert M,
Jones Kim Dupree
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.24.1_supplement.564.23
Subject(s) - irritable bowel syndrome , medicine , fibromyalgia , placebo , crossover study , quality of life (healthcare) , gastroenterology , physical therapy , alternative medicine , nursing , pathology
Up to 81% of patients with the chronic pain disorder Fibromyalgia (FM), also suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). We piloted a 4‐week diet that minimized dietary additive excitotoxins, including MSG and aspartame, in 57 patients (age 51±13 years) to improve FM and IBS symptoms. Diet responders went onto a 2‐week double blind crossover challenge with MSG or placebo for 3 days each week. We hypothesized a significant return of symptoms upon MSG challenge as compared to placebo due to glutamate's possible role in central sensitivity syndrome. T‐tests and repeated measures ANOVA were used to compare pre‐post diet measures and crossover challenge results. Thirty‐seven people completed the diet and 86% of those improved. Visual analog pain change scores for FM (5.4, p=<0.0001) and IBS (4.6, p=<0.0001) were both significantly reduced, as were Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire‐Revised Scores (FIQR) (22, p=<0.0001), IBS Quality of Life (IBS‐QOL)(11, p=<0.0001) and total symptom scores (11.4, p=<0.0001). Diet responders got significantly worse when challenged with MSG as compared to placebo in most measures (total symptom score, p=0.02; FIQR, p=0.03; and IBS‐QOL, p=0.03). VAS for IBS and FM worsened, but to a lesser degree (mean change of 2.1 (p=0.19) and 2.5 (p=0.07) respectively). Results suggest that the diet intervention significantly improved symptoms which returned after MSG challenge. Grant Funding Source : None