Activated immune system-Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia

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Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cell beta-Endorphin Concentration Is

Decreased in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia but Not in

Depression: Preliminary Report.

Journal: Clin J Pain 2002 Jul-Aug;18(4):270-273

Authors: *Alberto E. Panerai, M.D.; ‡Jacopo Vecchiet, M.D.; †Paolo

Panzeri, M.D.; †PierLuigi Meroni, M.D.; [par]Silvio Scarone, M.D.;

‡Eligio Pizzigallo, M.D.; § A. Giamberardino, M.D.; *Paola

Sacerdote, Ph.D.

Affiliations: *Department of Pharmacology and †Department of Internal

Medicine and Immunology and Istituto di Ricerca e Cura a Carattere

Scientifico, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, University of Milan, Milan;

‡Department of Infective Diseases and §Department of Medicine and Science

of Aging, University of Chieti, Chieti; [par]Department of Psychiatry,

University of Milan, Milan, Italy

Received December 26, 2000;

revised August 8, 2001; second revision December 15, 2001;

accepted December 15, 2001.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to (private address) Dr.

Adele Giamberardino, via Carlo de Tocco n. 3, 66100 Chieti, Italy;

e-mail: mailto:mag@...

NLM Citation: PMID: 12131069

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the possible role of the

immune system in the pathophysiology of chronic fatigue syndrome and

fibromyalgia syndrome and in the differential diagnosis of depression by

investigating changes in peripheral blood mononuclear cell levels of

beta-endorphin, an endogenous opioid known to be involved in regulation

of the immune system function.

DESIGN: beta-Endorphin concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay

in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy controls (n = 8) and

patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (n = 17), fibromyalgia syndrome (n

= 5), or depression (n = 10).

RESULTS: beta-Endorphin concentrations were significantly lower in

patients with chronic fatigue syndrome or fibromyalgia syndrome than in

normal subjects and depressed patients (p <0.001 and p <0.01,

respectively). They were significantly higher in depressed patients than

in controls (p <0.01).

CONCLUSIONS: Evaluation of peripheral blood mononuclear cell

beta-endorphin concentrations could represent a diagnostic tool for

chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia and help with differential

diagnosis of these syndromes versus depression. The results obtained are

also consistent with the hypothesis that the immune system is activated

in both chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia syndrome.

Key Words: Chronic fatigue syndrome; Depression; ß-Endorphin

concentrations; Fibromyalgia syndrome; Immune system; Peripheral blood

mononuclear cells

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