Objectives: This study aims to accurately evaluate pain lasting longer than three months and falls under the category of chronic pain and to determine the risk factors to follow up and treat properly and to develop appropriate diagnostic and treatment algorithms. Patients and methods: Between March 2021 and December 2021, a total of 437 patients (162 males, 275 females; mean age: 44±14.6 years; range, 12 to 82 years) who were referred to the participating centers due to pain complaints and were diagnosed with post-COVID-19 condition according to the criteria defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) were included in the study. The patients were divided into three groups as nociceptive pain, neuropathic pain, and central sensitization, based on the physician's clinical evaluation and the Self-Report Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs (S-LANSS) and Central Sensitization Inventory scores. Results: The most common diagnosis was nociceptive pain followed by central sensitization. Patients with nociceptive pain had less pain. It was found that not exercising regularly, having a chronic disease and being a woman were risk factors for central sensitization, having thyroid disease before COVID-19, and defining the current pain as very severe were risk factors for neuropathic pain. Conclusion: In the evaluation of post-COVID-19 pain, neuropathic pain and central sensitization should be also considered in addition to nociceptive pain and the severity of pain, systemic diseases and physical activity should be questioned.

Article: The effect of blood flow restricted aerobic exercise training on pain, functional status, quality of life and hormonal response to exercise in fibromyalgia patients: a randomized double-blind study - European Journal of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine 2025 May 28 - Minerva Medica - Journals

Background/Aims: Individuals increasingly turn to artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots for health-related information; however, the accuracy and usability of their responses remain uncertain. This study assessed the quality, comprehensiveness, and readability of responses from 6 AI chatbots—ChatGPT-3.5, ChatGPT-4o (OpenAI), Copilot AI (Microsoft), Perplexity AI (Perplexity.AI), Gemini AI (Google), and ChatSonic AI (Writesonic)—to the most commonly searched fibromyalgia-related queries. Materials and Methods: The top 10 most frequently searched fibromyalgia-related questions from the past 2 years were retrieved from the Google Trends database. Each chatbot was queried separately, and a total of 60 responses (10 per chatbot) were assessed both qualitatively and quantitatively by 2 reviewers, focusing on content quality, accuracy, readability, and alignment with evidence-based guidelines. Results: ChatGPT-3.5 had the lowest Ensuring Quality Information for Patients score (20.6 ± 4.5), indicating very low quality information, while Gemini achieved the highest (40.5 ± 5), which was still classified as low quality. Understandability was moderate for Copilot, Gemini, and Perplexity (67.2) but lowest for ChatGPT-3.5 (43.2 ± 10.2). Actionability was weak and the misinformation assessment revealed a moderate level across all chatbots. Readability scores indicated university-level complexity, with ChatGPT-4o having the lowest Reading Ease score (11.3 ± 11.2) and Copilot the highest (30.3 ± 13.2). Conclusion: While AI chatbots provide accessible health information, their accuracy and depth vary. Gemini, Copilot, and Perplexity AI showed better quality, but citation inconsistencies, readability challenges, and misinformation risks highlight the need for refinement beyond the hype. Clinicians should guide fibromyalgia patients in critically assessing AI-generated health content. Future research should explore improvements in AI chatbot applicability for medical inquiries.

Ultrasound-guided injections have become increasingly popular in musculoskeletal practice due to their precision and minimally invasive nature. Cadaveric musculoskeletal ultrasound-guided injection workshops offer unique hands-on training, allowing physicians to refine their skills and improve procedural confidence in a realistic anatomical context. This study evaluates the effectiveness of such workshops in enhancing participants’ confidence in performing musculoskeletal ultrasound-guided injections. A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted with 109 participants attending three one-day workshops. The workshops included theoretical sessions and hands-on practice on ultrasound-guided injections of the hip, knee, and ankle joints using cadaveric specimens. Participants completed pre- and post-workshop surveys assessing their self-reported confidence in performing injections. Changes in confidence were analyzed by comparing pre- and post-course responses to evaluate the effectiveness of the training. Participants showed significant improvements in confidence for all three joints, with the largest gain observed in hip injections. Residents exhibited lower pre- and post-course confidence but demonstrated greater improvement compared to specialists. Prior exposure to ultrasound training was associated with higher pre-course confidence but not post-course; implying that those who had not attended previous ultrasonography courses showed greater improvement and that cadaveric courses compensate for the lack of previous courses. Access to ultrasound equipment during residency was positively correlated with higher confidence levels. Cadaveric musculoskeletal ultrasound-guided injection workshops significantly enhance procedural confidence among physicians, particularly for hip and ankle joint injections. These workshops are valuable enough tools to make up for missed preceding ultrasound program attendance, and it could thus call for a reevaluation of how educational resources are distributed to optimize procedural competence and patient safety.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to test the validity of the Turkish version of the Chronic Pain Acceptance Questionnaire (CPAQ)-8. Patients and methods: This methodological and cross-sectional study was conducted with 80 female patients (mean age: 49.5±10 years; range, 28 to 75 years) diagnosed with fibromyalgia syndrome between January 2020 and December 2021. Participants completed the Turkish version of the CPAQ-8, as well as the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire, Brief Pain Inventory, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and Tampa Kinesiophobia Scale. Internal consistency, confirmatory factor analysis, and construct validity were examined in the statistical analysis of the data obtained. Results: The two-factor model created by exploratory factor analysis provided a better fit than the global factor model. Cronbach's alphas of both subscales of the CPAQ-8 were found to be 0.76 and 0.80; therefore, they provided internal consistency. The CPAQ-8 was found to be significantly correlated with all other scales compared. Conclusion: The Turkish version of the CPAQ-8 is an assessment tool with sufficient validity in assessing pain acceptance levels in fibromyalgia patients experiencing chronic pain. Future studies are needed to evaluate the validity and reliability of the questionnaire in different chronic pain models.