Accepted

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a serious clinical problem and challenging for oncologists. CIPN is often a persistent adverse consequence of certain chemotherapeutic agents and more cancer survivors will experience CIPN leading to chronic pain and worsening quality of life. However, the available and effective strategies for clinical treatment of CIPN are very limited. Oncologists are frequently obliged to decrease or stop neurotoxic anticancer drugs, with a possible deleterious impact on the oncological prognostic. The challenges faced by CIPN include further study on the pathological mechanism, dose threshold, incidence, risk factors and clinical characteristics of CIPN; lack of diagnostic criteria and tools of CIPN; lack of effective and standardized CIPN prevention and treatment programs. The current update of research results on these challenging issues of CIPN will provide more decision-making evidence for oncologists to diagnose and treat CIPN. Therefore, Committee of Neoplastic Supportive-Care of China Anti-Cancer Association and Cancer Clinical Chemotherapy Committee of China Anti-Cancer Association convenes some experts to summarize the recent literatures and discuss to reach the consensus about recommendations for the definition, pathophysiological mechanism, assessment, prevention, and treatment of CIPN.

To understand the psychological and social impact of shielding on people with sickle cell disorders and their carers in the Midlands region of England. This region was badly affected during the pandemic, with the city of Birmingham having some of the highest rates of COVID-19 deaths.

The spectrum of symptoms represented by fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) has a profound effect on daily activities and impairs the quality of life. A considerable proportion of patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRDs) fulfill the FMS criteria, which can complicate the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-ups of IRD. In addition, the coexistence of FMS may cause unnecessary laboratory and radiological assessments. Several mechanisms have been proposed that may have a role in the etiopathogenesis of FMS, one of which is autonomic dysregulation. In studies evaluating cardiac autonomic dysfunction based on heart rate variability (HRV), there has been found to be a decrease in HRV and dominance of the sympathetic nervous system. Autonomic reactivity reflects modulations of several functions to overcome the existing state and conditions. Blunted autonomic reactivity has been found in some FMS patients, which makes it difficult for these patients to respond appropriately to unexpected stress sources that occur during daily living activities. Baroreceptor signals have an inhibitory influence on the central nervous system, and these impulses cause pain suppression. From this perspective, there are studies that have suggested the involvement of diminished baroreflex sensitivity in the etiology of FMS. The risk of endothelial dysfunction and increased arterial stiffness have been shown to occur in FMS patients due to autonomic dysfunction, sympathetic nervous system dominance, chronic stress, and pain. There is also evidence linking FMS with the risk of atrial and ventricular arrhythmias. Considering all these cardiovascular autonomic dysfunctions, tests that can confirm abnormalities should be performed when suspicion arises. There is a need for specific pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment alternatives to be identified for subgroups of patients with cardiovascular system abnormalities. Key points • The frequency of FMS accompanying inflammatory rheumatic diseases is considerable and this coexistence leads to troubles in evaluating treatment response and determining appropriate medical treatment options in inflammatory rheumatic diseases. • Various cardiovascular autonomic abnormalities have been described in FMS patients. Among these, the most emphasized are autonomic dysfunction, the disruption of the balance between the sympathetic-parasympathetic nervous systems, blunted autonomic reactivity to acute stress, changes in baroreflex sensitivity, increased arterial stiffness, and electrophysiological alterations. • Autonomic cardiovascular dysfunction may be involved in the complex etiopathogenesis of the fibromyalgia syndrome and may trigger at least some symptoms.