ArticleBMC musculoskeletal disorders2018
Evaluation of mitochondrial function in chronic myofascial trigger points - a prospective cohort pilot study using high-resolution respirometry.
Article in BMC musculoskeletal disorders, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT03704311 (Evaluation of Mitochondrial Function in Chronic Myofascial Trigger Points - A Prospective Cohort Pilot Study Using High-resolution Respirometry), which is not on this map. Cited by 7 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Evaluation of Mitochondrial Function in Chronic Myofascial Trigger Points - A Prospective Cohort Pilot Study Using High-resolution Respirometry
Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 12 citations in OpenAlex.
- Treating myofascial pain with dry needling: a systematic review for the best evidence-based practices in low back pain.Arquivos de neuro-psiquiatria · 2023Pooled it
- Ischemic preconditioning modulates iron metabolism, acute inflammatory and neurotrophic responses to anaerobic exercise in untrained individuals: a randomized controlled trial.Scientific reports · 2026Trial
- Inhibition of the AMPK/PGC-1α/Mfn2 Axis is Associated with Mitochondria-ER Dysfunction and Ultrastructural Remodeling in a Rat Model of Myofascial Trigger Points.Journal of pain research · 2026Article
- IGF-1R promotes pain-like behavior in rats with myofascial pain syndrome via the PI3K/AKT pathway.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Myofascial and discogenic origins of lumbar pain: A critical review.The Journal of manual & manipulative therapy · 2023Review
- Ultrastructure of Myofascial Trigger Points of Skeletal Muscles of Rats after Photobiostimulation with Low-Intensity Red Light.Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2023Article
- Re-Examining Myofascial Pain Syndrome: Toward Biomarker Development and Mechanism-Based Diagnostic Criteria.Current rheumatology reports · 2021Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors at 3 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundMyofascial trigger points (MTrPs) are hyperirritable areas in the fascia of the affected muscle, possibly related to mitochondrial impairment. They can result in pain and hypoxic areas within the muscle. This pilot study established a minimally invasive biopsy technique to obtain high-quality MTrP tissue samples to evaluate mitochondrial function via high-resolution respirometry. Secondary objectives included the feasibility and safety of the biopsy procedure.
methodsTwenty healthy males participated in this study, 10 with a diagnosis of myofascial pain in the musculus (m.) trapezius MTrP (TTP group) and 10 with a diagnosis of myofascial pain in the m. gluteus medius (GTP group). Each participant had 2 muscle biopsies taken in one session. The affected muscle was biopsied followed by a biopsy from the m. vastus lateralis to be used as a control. Measurements of oxygen consumption were carried out using high-resolution respirometry.
resultsMitochondrial respiration was highest in the GTP group compared to the TTP group and the control muscle whereas no differences were observed between the GTP and the control muscle. When normalizing respiration to an internal reference state, there were no differences between muscle groups. None of the participants had hematomas or reported surgical complications. Patient-reported pain was minimal for all 3 groups. All participants reported a low procedural burden.
conclusionsThis pilot study used a safe and minimally invasive technique for obtaining biopsies from MTrPs suitable for high-resolution respirometry analysis of mitochondrial function. The results suggest that there are no qualitative differences in mitochondrial function of MTrPs of the trapezius and gluteus medius muscles compared to the vastus lateralis control muscle, implying that alterations of mitochondrial function do not appear to have a role in the development of MTrPs.
trial registrationRegistered as No. 20131128-850 at the Coordinating Center for Clinical Studies of the Medical University of Innsbruck, trial registration date: 28th November 2013 and retrospectively registered on 11th of October 2018 at ClinicalTrials.gov with the ID NCT03704311 .
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.