Biomarkers in fibromyalgia

Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2009 Oct;13(5):343-9.

Biomarkers in fibromyalgia.

Ablin JN, Buskila D, Clauw DJ. University of Michigan Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center, 24 Frank Lloyd Wright Drive, PO Box 385, Ann Arbor, MI 48106, USA. dclauw@med.umich.edu.

Fibromyalgia is a common pain syndrome characterized by widespread pain, tenderness, and a number of other somatic symptoms and syndromes. Although there was original skepticism that any objective abnormalities would be identified in these individuals, at present there are many that have been reproducibly identified, and most point to dysregulation of central nervous system function as a key underlying pathogenic mechanism in this and related illnesses. This article reviews several objective abnormalities or measures that have been identified or used in fibromyalgia, and indicates which of these may be most promising to eventually use as biomarkers to follow the response to treatment or progress of disease over time.

PMID: 19728959 [PubMed - in process]

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written by Maff, September 07, 2009

It is great to see that within at least some quarters of the research community the debate is moving on from whether fibromyalgia actually exists, and if so whether it is a psychological or physical illness, to a question of determining the best ways to diagnose and monitor disease progress based on definite biomarkers.