Pilot Study: Rapidly Cycling Hypobaric Pressure Improves Pain After 5 days in Adiposis Dolorosa
Herbst K; 2010
Synopsis: This pilot study examined whether whole body cyclic pneumatic hypobaric compression could relieve pain in patients with Adiposis Dolorosa (AD). The researchers used a touch-free method called the Cyclic Variations in Altitude Conditioning (CVAC), which they concluded may help relieve pain from AD, and possibly from other chronic pain disorders as well.
Abstract: Adiposis dolorosa (AD) is a rare disorder of painful nodular subcutaneous fat accompanied by fatigue, difficulty with weight loss, inflammation, increased fluid in adipose tissue (lipedema and lymphedema), and hyperalgesia. Sequential compression relieves lymphedema pain; we therefore hypothesized that whole body cyclic pneumatic hypobaric compression may relieve pain in AD. To avoid exacerbating hyperalgesia, we utilized a touch-free method, which is delivered via a high-performance altitude simulator, the Cyclic Variations in Altitude Conditioning (CVAC) process. As a pilot study, 10 participants with AD completed pain and quality of life questionnaires before and after 20-40 minutes of CVAC process daily for 5 days. Participants lost weight (195.5 17.6-193.8 17.3 lb; P = 0.03), and bioimpedance significantly decreased (510 36-490 38 ohm; P = 0.01). There was a significant decrease in scores on the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (P = 0.039), in average (P = 0.002), highest (P = 0.029), lowest (P = 0.04), and current pain severity (P = 0.02) on the Visual Analogue Scale, but there was no change in pain quality by the McGill Pain Questionnaire. There were no significant changes in total and physical SF-36 scores, but the mental score improved significantly (P = 0.049). There were no changes in the Pain Disability Index or Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. These data present a potential, new, noninvasive means of treating pain in AD by whole body pneumatic compression as part of the CVAC process. Although randomized, controlled trials are needed to confirm these data, the CVAC process could potentially help in treating AD pain and other chronic pain disorders.
Keywords: adiposis dolorosa, AD, weight loss, inflammation, adipose tissue, fat, CVAC, pain, chronic pain disorder
PubMed Link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3004643/pdf/jpr-3-147.pdf
Other Link: No link available
APA Citation: Herbst, K. (2010). Pilot study: rapidly cycling hypobaric pressure improves pain after 5 days in adiposis dolorosa. JPR, 147. http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/jpr.s12351
AMA Citation: Herbst K. Pilot study: rapidly cycling hypobaric pressure improves pain after 5 days in adiposis dolorosa. JPR. 2010:147. doi:10.2147/jpr.s12351.
