Clinical Research Directory

Fibrous Dysplasia: An Epidemiological and Correlational Evaluation of Multimodal Data

Fibrous dysplasia is a benign, pseudotumoral, genetic but non-hereditary condition characterized by the presence of one or more areas of abnormal bone development in which the normal structure is replaced by fibrous tissue. It is an extremely heterogeneous condition, as it can be monostotic, polyostotic, or panostotic, or it may occur within the context of more complex syndromes such as McCune-Albright syndrome (in which polyostotic fibrous dysplasia is associated with café-au-lait spots and precocious puberty) or Mazabraud syndrome (in which intramuscular myxomas are present). This condition is caused by post-zygotic missense mutations, so it is never hereditary, and the affected individual will constitute a so-called "genetic mosaic," a fact that explains the wide variability in the localization of the pathological areas. The mutations in question occur in a gene (GNAS) located on chromosome 20 (20q13.2-13.3); this gene encodes a G protein with GTPase activity, the function of which is consequently impaired. The aim of this study is to evaluate in detail the characteristics of the patients, their hospitalizations, and related interventions. Given the rarity of the condition, such investigations are often conducted on very limited datasets. The present study is expected to include over 200 patients, providing a comprehensive picture. An additional aim is to assess the impact of somatic mutations in the GNAS gene and their impact in terms of clinical manifestations.

PAINDYS_Characterizing Pain in Fibrous Dysplasia of Bone/McCune-Albright Syndrome: an Exploratory Pilot Study

Fibrous dysplasia of bone (FD) / McCune-Albright syndrome (MAS) is a rare congenital bone disorder affecting one or multiple bones, caused by a mosaic somatic mutation of the GNAS gene. In some cases, it may be associated with endocrine or cutaneous abnormalities. The spectrum of bone disease is broad, ranging from isolated monostotic fibrous dysplasia to complete skeletal involvement. Functional prognosis can be complex due to pain, bone deformities, and fracture risk. The disease may initially be identified through non-specific clinical signs such as pain. Indeed, bone pain has been reported in up to 81% of adults and 49% of children, mainly affecting the lower limbs and the spine, with highly variable pain intensity that does not always correlate with the extent of bone lesions. This pain may persist throughout life and impact patients' daily activities. In the general population, it is well known that chronic musculoskeletal pain following events such as surgery or fractures can be associated with central sensitization, a neurophysiological phenomenon characterized by hyperreactivity of the central nervous system, along with impaired modulation of pain through descending inhibitory pathways, a normally protective mechanism that becomes reduced. The pathophysiology of bone pain in FD/MAS remains poorly studied and poorly understood. The presence of central sensitization, reduced pain modulation, and hypersensitivity to everyday stimuli are rarely described but suggested by the existence of chronic pain often lasting many years. The mixed characteristics of pain experienced (nociceptive, neuropathic, inflammatory, or nociplastic) are also poorly defined. To date, no study has explored pain in FD/MAS using a psychophysical approach in comparison with a control population. Our hypothesis is that patients with FD/MAS exhibit central sensitization with reduced pain modulation. This exploratory pilot study aims to investigate, through psychophysical approaches, the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying pain in FD/MAS.