Fibromyalgia: is there association between balance and pain? a pilot study

Studies of balance and risk factors for falling typically focus on the elderly population or on individuals with musculoskeletal pain. Although fibromyalgia is associated with intrinsic factors that predispose to falls (pain, depression, fatigue), few studies have researched balance and falls in this syndrome. The aim of this study was to verify the association between balance, balance self-efficacy and pain in women with and without fibromyalgia, and verify the association between Berg Balance Scale and Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC Scale). The sample consisted of 48 women aged between 40 and 59 years, divided into two groups: Fibromyalgia group (n=22) and Control group (n=26) with asymptomatic people. Balance was assessed by Berg Balance Scale, balance self-efficacy by the ABC Scale and pain by the visual analog scale. Mean scores for pain, Berg and ABC Scale were 5.4 cm (SD 2.6), 55 (interquartile range 54-56), and 54.6 (SD 26.6) respectively for Fibromyalgia group, and 0 cm, 56 (interquartile range 55-56), and 89.4 (SD 14.4) respectively for Control group. Statistically significant differences were found in balance on comparing both groups (p=0.000 for Berg Balance Scale and 0.009 for ABC Scale) with lower values for Fibromyalgia group. In Fibromyalgia group, pain was negatively correlated with balance (r=-0.48, p=0.020) and balance self-efficacy (rs=-0.56, p=0.006). Correlation between Berg Balance Scale and ABC Scale was found only in the Fibromyalgia group (rs =0.55, p=0.007). There are associations between poor balance and pain, and poor balance and decreased balance self-efficacy in women with fibromyalgia. There is an association between scales in the Fibromyalgia group

Avaliação antropométrica de adolescentes Kamayurá, povo indígena do Alto Xingu, Brasil Central (2000-2001) Anthropometric assessment of Kamayurá adolescents in the Upper Xingu, Central Brazil (2000-2001)

Apesar da proximidade dos grupos indígenas do Alto Xingu com a sociedade, os estudos têm mostrado adequação do peso para estatura e déficit de estatura para idade das crianças desses povos. Em relação aos adolescentes, pouco se conhece sobre suas condições nutricionais. O presente estudo teve como objetivo avaliar o estado nutricional de adolescentes Kamayurá, valendo-se de variáveis antropométricas. As medidas de peso, estatura, pregas cutâneas e circunferências corporais foram coletadas de 65 adolescentes, sendo 31 indivíduos masculinos e 34 femininos. As médias de estatura em relação à idade foram menores do que aquelas encontradas na Pesquisa Nacional sobre Saúde e Nutrição e na população de referência do National Center for Health Statistics. Houve taxa elevada de sobrepeso no sexo masculino (38,7%) e no feminino (23,5%); a obesidade foi encontrada em uma adolescente (2,9%). Nenhum adolescente com sobrepeso apresentou ambas as pregas tricipital e subescapular acima do percentil 90. Não houve casos de déficit nutricional em adolescentes de ambos os sexos. Apesar da alta prevalência de sobrepeso, o estado nutricional dos adolescentes em estudo é adequado, dada a baixa adiposidade.<br>Despite the proximity between indigenous groups in the Upper Xingu Region and Brazilian national society, studies have shown adequate weight-for-height and low height-for-age in indigenous children. Little is known about the nutritional status of indigenous adolescents. The present study aimed to evaluate the nutritional status of Kamayurá adolescents. Anthropometric variables were collected from a sample of 65 adolescents (31 males and 34 females). Mean height was lower than both that of the Brazilian National Survey on Health and Nutrition and the reference population of the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics. There was a high rate of overweight in both males (38.7%) and females (23.5%), and one female adolescent was obese (2.9%). No overweight adolescent presented both the triceps and subscapular skinfolds above the 90th percentile. There were no cases of nutritional deficit among either male or female adolescents. Despite the high prevalence of overweight, the nutritional status of these adolescents is adequate, since the group presents low adiposity