Free radicals and antioxidants in primary fibromyalgia: an oxidative stress disorder?

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Abstract: Free radicals and antioxidants in primary fibromyalgia: an

oxidative stress disorder?

12-31-2003

Rheumatol Int. 2003 Dec 20 [Epub ahead of print].

Bagis S, Tamer L, Sahin G, Bilgin R, Guler H, Ercan B, Erdogan C.

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department, Mersin University Medical

School, Mersin, Turkey.

The role of free radicals in fibromyalgia is controversial. In this study,

85 female patients with primary fibromyalgia and 80 age-, height-, and

weight-matched healthy women were evaluated for oxidant/antioxidant balance.

Malondialdehyde is a toxic metabolite of lipid peroxidation used as a marker

of free radical damage.

Superoxide dismutase is an intracellular antioxidant enzyme and shows

antioxidant capacity. Pain was assessed by visual analog scale. Tender

points were assessed by palpation. Age, smoking, body mass index (BMI), and

duration of disease were also recorded.

Malondialdehyde levels were significantly higher and superoxide dismutase

levels significantly lower in fibromyalgic patients than controls. Age, BMI,

smoking, and duration of disease did not affect these parameters. We found

no correlation between pain and number of tender points. In conclusion,

oxidant/antioxidant balances were changed in fibromyalgia. Increased free

radical levels may be responsible for the development of fibromyalgia. These

findings may support the hypothesis of fibromyalgia as an oxidative

disorder.

PMID: 14689230 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]