Cytokine signature found in fibromyalgia points to immune dysfunction

Fibromyalgia is a complex and poorly understood chronic pain syndrome that affects about two million people in the UK. A team from the US set out to examine cytokine levels in women with fibromyalgia in an attempt to unravel the origins of the condition. Cytokines are tiny proteins that act as chemical messengers and affect immune responses, tissue repair and cell growth. 

The scientists found that women with fibromyalgia had a marked reduction in cytokines such as IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13, which supports the role of inflammation in fibromyalgia and could lead to better diagnostic tools for doctors treating fibromyalgia.

“The suppression provides strong evidence of immune dysregulation in patients with fibromyalgia,” the researchers conclude.

To read the original study click here.