title: Oxytocin nasal spray in fibromyalgic patients.
abstract: Fibromyalgia is a pain disorder associated with frequent comorbid mood, anxiety, and sleep disorders. Despite the frequent use of a complex, poly-drug pharmacotherapy, treatment for fibromyalgia is of limited efficacy. Oxytocin has been reported to reduce the severity of pain, anxiety, and depression, and improve the quality of sleep, suggesting that it may be useful to treat fibromyalgia. To evaluate this hypothesis, 14 women affected by fibromyalgia and comorbid disorders, assuming a complex pharmacotherapy, were enrolled in a double-blind, crossover, randomized trial to receive oxytocin and placebo nasal spray daily for 3 weeks for each treatment. Order of treatment (placebo-oxytocin or oxytocin-placebo) was randomly assigned. Patients were visited once a week. At each visit, the following instruments were administered: an adverse drug reaction record card, Visual Analog Scale of Pain Intensity, Spielberger State Anxiety Inventory, Zung Self-rating Depression Scale, and SF-12. Women self-registered painkiller assumption, pain severity, and quality of sleep in a diary. Unlikely, oxytocin nasal spray (80 IU a day) did not induce positive therapeutic effects but resulted to be safe, devoid of toxicity, and easy to handle.
authors: Pain Therapy Unit, "A. Businco" Hospital, ASL 8, Cagliari, Italy.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Mameli
authors: G M
authors: GM
authors: Pisanu
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Sardo
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Marchi
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Pili
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Carboni
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Minerba
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Trincas
authors: M G
authors: MG
authors: Carta
authors: M R
authors: MR
authors: Melis
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Agabio
mesh_terms: D000281:Administration, Intranasal; D000336:Aerosols; D001007:Anxiety / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D059352:Musculoskeletal Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000336:Aerosols; D010121:Oxytocin