Archive for the ‘Fibromyalgia’ Category

Serum antioxidants and nitric oxide levels in fibromyalgia: a controlled study.

Monday, February 9th, 2009

Rheumatol Int. 2008 Oct 14. [Epub ahead of print]

Serum antioxidants and nitric oxide levels in fibromyalgia: a controlled study.

Sendur OF, Turan Y, Tastaban E, Yenisey C, Serter M.
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Adnan Menderes University Medicine School Hospital, Aydin, Turkey.

We proposed to assess antioxidant status and nitric oxide in fibromyalgia (FM) patients in comparison to healthy controls. Additionally, the association between the serum antioxidant levels and clinical findings in FM patients was also investigated. Thirty-seven FM patients and 37 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. Severity of fatigue and pain were determined by Visual Analogue Scale. Functional capacity in daily living activities was evaluated by fibromyalgia impact questionnaire. Serum NO, catalase and glutathione were measured. Serum glutathione and catalase levels were significantly lower in FM patients than controls. However, no significant difference was seen in serum NO levels between the two groups. A significant correlation was evident between serum NO level and pain. Additionally, the correlation between glutathione level and morning stiffness was found to be significant. These findings support other studies, we assume that these two antioxidants might have impact on the pathogenesis of FM disease.

PMID: 18853166 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18853166?dopt=AbstractPlus

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ATP, calcium and magnesium levels in platelets of patients with primary fibromyalgia.

Tuesday, February 3rd, 2009

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18634773?dopt=AbstractPlus

Clin Biochem. 2008 Jul 2. [Epub ahead of print]

ATP, calcium and magnesium levels in platelets of patients with primary fibromyalgia.

Bazzichi L, Giannaccini G, Betti L, Fabbrini L, Schmid L, Palego L, Giacomelli C, Rossi A, Giusti L, De Feo F, Giuliano T, Mascia G, Bombardieri S, Lucacchini A.

Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, University of Pisa, Via Roma 67, 56126 Pisa, Italy.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the intracellular levels of the high energy adenosine triphosphate nucleotide ATP and essential divalent cations, calcium and magnesium, in platelets of patients affected by primary fibromyalgia syndrome (FMs). DESIGN AND METHOD: Platelet ATP and cation concentrations were measured in 25 patients affected by FMs and 25 healthy volunteers through a chemiluminescent and a fluorimetric assay, respectively. RESULTS: Significant lower ATP levels were observed inside platelets of FM patients (fmol ATP/plt: 0.0169+/-0.0012 vs. healthy controls, fmol ATP/plt: 0.0306+/-0.0023, mean+/-SEM) (P<0.0001). A trend towards higher calcium concentrations (P=0.06) together with significant increased magnesium levels were also reported in platelets of patients by comparison with controls (P=0.02). CONCLUSIONS: This preliminary study suggests that disturbances in the homeostasis of platelet ATP metabolism-signaling and calcium-magnesium flows might have a relevance in the pathogenesis of FMs.

PMID: 18634773 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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The relationship between serum trace element levels and clinical parameters in patients with fibromyalgia.

Wednesday, January 28th, 2009

The relationship between serum trace element levels and clinical parameters in patients with fibromyalgia.

Rheumatol Int. 2008 May 22. [Epub ahead of print]

Sendur OF, Tastaban E, Turan Y, Ulman C.

Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Adnan Menderes University Medicine School Hospital, Aydin, Turkey.

PMID: 18496697

We examined the association between serum trace elements and clinical findings such as number of sensitive tender points, severity of fatigue and functional status in patients with fibromyalgia (FM).

Thirty-two patients diagnosed as having FM according to the ACR 1990 criteria and 32 normal healthy controls (NHC) were included in this study. The demographic data, disease duration, number of tender
points and accompanying symptoms (fatigue, sleep disorders, headache, paresthesia, irritable bowel syndrome, sicca symptoms, Raynaud’s phenomena) of the patients were noted. Visual analog scale (10 cm) was implemented to estimate daily severity of pain and fatigue. Fibromyalgia impact questionnaire was used for functional assessment. Serum selenium (mug/dL) and serum zinc (mug/dL) levels were measured by atomic absorption spectrometer. Serum magnesium (mmol/L) level was measured by the original kits of Abbott Aeroset auto-analyzer.

The mean age of patients in FM group and NHC were calculated as 42.9 (SD = 7.7) years and 41.3 (SD = 9.7) years, respectively. Serum levels of zinc (P = 0.001) and magnesium (P = 0.002) were
significantly decreased by FM groups, whereas there was no
considerable difference with selenium levels of both groups (P > 0.05). Association between serum zinc level and number of tender points (P = 0.008) and that between fatigue and magnesium level (P =
0.003) was found as meaningful.

According to the results of this study, it was asserted that serum magnesium and zinc levels may play an important role in the pathophysiology of FM.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18496697?dopt=AbstractPlus

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Anandamide and neutrophil function in patients with fibromyalgia.

Wednesday, January 28th, 2009

1: Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2008 Jun;33(5):676-685. Epub 2008 Apr 18. Links

Anandamide and neutrophil function in patients with fibromyalgia.
Kaufmann I, Schelling G, Eisner C, Richter HP, Krauseneck T, Vogeser M, Hauer D, Campolongo P, Chouker A, Beyer A, Thiel M.

Clinic of Anaesthesiology, Klinikum Großhadern, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Marchioninistrasse 15, 81366 Munich, Germany.

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a common stress-related painful disorder. There is considerable evidence of neuroimmunologic alterations in FM which may be the consequence of chronic stress and pain or causally involved in the development of this disorder. The endocannabinoid system has been shown to play a pivotal role in mammalian nociception, is activated under stressful conditions and can be an important signaling pathway for immune modulation. The endocannabinoid system could therefore be involved in the complex pathophysiology of FM. We tested this hypothesis by evaluating the effects of stress hormones and the endocannabinoid anandamide on neutrophil function in patients with FM. We determined plasma levels of catecholamines, cortisol and anandamide in 22 patients with primary FM and 22 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Neutrophil function was characterized by measuring the hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) release (oxidative stress) and the ingestion capabilities of neutrophils (microbicidal function). FM patients had significantly higher norepinephrine and anandamide plasma levels. Neutrophils of FM patients showed an elevated spontaneous H(2)O(2) production. The ability of neutrophils to adhere was negatively correlated with serum cortisol levels. Adhesion and phagocytosis capabilities of neutrophils correlated positively with anandamide plasma levels. In conclusion, patients with FM might benefit from pharmacologic manipulation of endocannabinoid signaling which should be tested in controlled studies.

PMID: 18395993 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18395993?dopt=AbstractPlus

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A Psychophysical Study of Auditory and Pressure Sensitivity in Patients With Fibromyalgia and Healthy Controls.

Wednesday, January 28th, 2009

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18280211?dopt=AbstractPlus

A Psychophysical Study of Auditory and Pressure Sensitivity in Patients With Fibromyalgia and Healthy Controls.

J Pain. 2008 Feb 14 [Epub ahead of print]

Geisser ME, Glass JM, Rajcevska LD, Clauw DJ, Williams DA, Kileny PR, Gracely RH.

Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University
of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

PMID: 18280211

Fibromyalgia (FM) is characterized by widespread tenderness. Studies have also reported that persons with FM are sensitive to other stimuli, such as auditory tones. We hypothesized that subjects with
FM would display greater sensitivity to both pressure and auditory tones and report greater sensitivity to sounds encountered in daily activities.

FM subjects (n = 30) and healthy control subjects (n = 28) were administered auditory tones and pressure using the same psychophysical methods to deliver the stimuli and a common way of
scaling responses. Subjects were also administered a self-report questionnaire regarding sensitivity to everyday sounds.

Participants with FM displayed significantly greater sensitivity to all levels of auditory stimulation (Ps < .05). The magnitude of difference between FM patients’ lowered auditory sensitivity (relative to control subjects) was similar to that seen with pressure, and pressure and auditory ratings were significantly correlated in both control subjects and subjects with FM. FM patients also were more sensitive to everyday sounds (t = 8.65, P < .001). These findings support that FM is associated with a global central nervous system augmentation in sens ory processing. Further research is needed to examine the neural substrates associated with this abnormality and its role in the etiology and maintenance of FM.

PERSPECTIVE: Muscle tenderness is the hallmark of FM, but the findings of this study and others suggest that persons with FM display sensitivity to a number of sensory stimuli. These findings
suggest that FM is associated with a global central nervous system augmentation of sensory information. These findings may also help to explain why persons with FM display a number of comorbid physical symptoms other than pain.

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