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Research Study - Dietary Intake in Women with Fibromyalgia

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Category: Getinvolved

Published on Monday, 10 February 2014 13:21

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There is an updated copy of the patient Information sheet attached to the end of this article.

The University of Surrey is going to be undertaking a research study into the dietary intake of women with fibromyalgia compared to healthy women.  If you should have any questions regarding any aspect of this study, please contact the study organisers with the contact info at the end of the article.

1.1 Aim and objectives

The aim of this research is to investigate the dietary intake of fibromyalgia patients and of healthy controls. The objectives of this study are 

1. to recruit a sample of fibromyalgia patients and healthy controls,
2. to provide a diet diary and a symptom diary to all participants,
3. to collect information on nutritional intake, medication taken and the type and frequency of symptoms
4. to assess for any nutritional deficiencies or differences in dietary intake in fibromyalgia patients, compared with the control group and
5. to see if there is an association  between diet and experience of fibromyalgia symptoms.

2.      Method

2.1 Recruitment

Participants will be recruited through posting an advertisement on the Fibromyalgia Association UK (FMA UK) website and through poster advertising at the University of Surrey. We aim to recruit a minimum of 15 female participants with fibromyalgia of any age. The healthy control group will also be 15 participants and will be matched to the fibromyalgia group. These participants will be recruited through the same website.

2.2 Inclusion/exclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria:

-Being female

- Having a diagnosis of fibromyalgia OR considered free of fibromyalgia.

Exclusion criteria:

- Having a history of lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis or epilepsy.

- Self-diagnosis of fibromyalgia

- Having a history of psychiatric disorders.

- Having a history of drug or alcohol abuse.

- Taking part in shift work.

2.3 Study protocol

A screening questionnaire will be supplied to ensure participants are eligible. Eligible participants will sign a consent form. Food diaries and the impact (symptom) questionnaires will be sent to participants who will complete and return them in the pre-paid envelope supplied.  Participants with Fibromyalgia will receive the revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire.  Control participants will receive the Symptom Impact Questionnaire.  Each food diary and impact questionnaire will be coded in order to anonymize the participants. The full study protocol can be seen in figure 1.

2.4 Analysis

Diet Plan 6 will be used to analyse diet diaries of participants. Impact questionnaires will be scored and analysed. The data will be entered into SPSS and an independent samples T test will be used if data are normally distributed. A Mann Whitney U test will be used if data are not normally distributed. A summary of the group (not individual) findings will be reported back to Fibromyalgia UK (as a requirement of their guidelines for the usage of their website to post research advertisements).  All data collected will be stored securely for 10 years electronically and password protected, held on the equipment in the locked office of the PI, at the University of Surrey. After 10 years data will be disposed of in the appropriate way according to the University guidelines. 

Dr Michelle Gibbs,                                                                                                                               
Department of Nutritional Sciences
School of Biosciences and Medicine
Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences                                                                                              
University of Surrey
Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XH
Telephone: 01483 682532
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Dr Andrea Darling

Department of Nutritional Sciences
School of Biosciences and Medicine
Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences                                                                                              
University of Surrey Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XH
Telephone: 01483 689222
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Attachments:

Participant information sheet

[Participant information sheet May 14]

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