Cytokines play an aetiopathogenetic role in fibromyalgia: a hypothesis and pilot study

Abstract

In patients with FM we found increases over time in serum levels and/or PBMC-stimulated activity of soluble factors whose release is stimulated by substance P. Because IL-8 promotes sympathetic pain and IL-6 induces hyperalgesia, fatigue and depression, it is hypothesized that they may play a role in modulating FM symptoms.

Lack of Circadian Pattern of Serum TNF-α and IL-6 in Patients with Fibromyalgia Syndrome

“…Furthermore, they found no significant difference in the levels of IL-6 between the two groups, therefore, our findings of decreased serum levels of IL-6 and increased serum levels of TNF-a are in concordance with this study. TNF-a levels increased in FMS patients significantly in our study, in contrast to reports by other groups, wherein TNF-a levels rose in untreated patients in one of the studies and were unchanged in the other reports [22][23][24]. This discrepancy might be due to variations in inclusion criteria for the patients, age or detection methods.…”

Use of oxygen-ozone therapy in the treatment of fibromyalgia

“…5 Despite generalised pain being considered the cardinal symptom, others like tiredness and being easily fatigued, non-restorative sleep and mood disorders in the sense of anxietydepression, play a significant role in determining the degree of disability characteristic of this disease. 5 Even the pathogenesis of FM is very complex and, as mentioned earlier, many factors converge 12 In affected patients in particular, an increased level of certain cytokines (including IL-6 and IL-8, the release of which in turn is probably stimulated by other systems upstream like the sympathetic nervous system, could intervene in causing the symptoms of FM. In fact, as is known, IL-8 promotes sympathetic pain and IL-6 induces hyperalgesia, fatigue and depression.…”

“…In fact, as is known, IL-8 promotes sympathetic pain and IL-6 induces hyperalgesia, fatigue and depression. 12 More recently, there has been some evidence for the dysregulation of oxidative processes playing a role, in studies that have shown the plasma of FM patients contains increased levels of lipid peroxidation products (LP) and carboxylated proteins, the end result of both being membrane damage induced by ROS, 4,6,13 alongside a reduction in total antioxidant capacity or of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase. 4,6,13 Several experimental models have revealed an increase in the production -on several levels -of ROS and other harmful radicals, which go on to interact with cellular structures, resulting in the typical symptoms of FM.…”

Evidence for Inflammation in the Fibromyalgia Syndrome

“…The majority of the evidence for such an assertion comes from studies of abnormal cytokine levels in the serum or in vitro cultures of leukocytes from patients with FMS compared with samples taken from healthy normal controls (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9). This topic was recently reviewed (10).…”