Fibromyalgia - Pathology

Hypoxia - updated: 04 May 2009

Abnormal microcirculation and temperature in skin above tender points in patients with fibromyalgia

Rheumatology (Oxford). 2000 Aug;39(8):917-21

Jeschonneck M, Grohmann G, Hein G, Sprott H.

OBJECTIVE: Skin temperature and skin blood flow were studied above different tender points in 20 patients with fibromyalgia (FM) and 20 healthy controls. METHODS: Blood flow was measured by laser Doppler flowmetry and skin temperature was measured with an infrared thermometer. RESULTS: In the skin above the five tender points examined in each subject, we found an increased concentration of erythrocytes, decreased erythrocyte velocity and a consequent decrease in the flux of erythrocytes. A decrease in temperature was recorded above four of the five tender points. CONCLUSION: Vasoconstriction occurs in the skin above tender points in FM patients, supporting the hypothesis that FM is related to local hypoxia in the skin above tender points.

Publication Types:

• Study

Microcirculation abnormalities in patients with fibromyalgia - measured by capillary microscopy and laser fluxmetry

Arthritis Res Ther. 2005;7(2):R209-16.

Morf S, Amann-Vesti B, Forster A, Franzeck UK, Koppensteiner R, Uebelhart D, Sprott H.

This unblinded preliminary case-control study was done to demonstrate functional and structural changes in the microcirculation of patients with primary fibromyalgia (FM). We studied 10 women (54.0 +/- 3.7 years of age) with FM diagnosed in accordance with the classification criteria of the American College of Rheumatology, and controls in three groups (n = 10 in each group) - age-matched women who were healthy or who had rheumatoid arthritis or systemic scleroderma (SSc). All 40 subjects were tested within a 5-week period by the same investigators, using two noninvasive methods, laser fluxmetry and capillary microscopy. The FM patients were compared with the healthy controls (negative controls) and with rheumatoid arthritis patients and SSc patients (positive controls). FM patients had fewer capillaries in the nail fold (P < 0.001) and significantly more capillary dilatations (P < 0.05) and irregular formations (P < 0.01) than the healthy controls. Interestingly, the peripheral blood flow in FM patients was much less (P < 0.001) than in healthy controls but did not differ from that of SSc patients (P = 0.73). The data suggest that functional disturbances of microcirculation are present in FM patients and that morphological abnormalities may also influence their microcirculation

Publication Types:

• Study

Fibromyalgia syndrome: overnight falls in arterial oxygen saturation

Am J Med. 1996 Jul;101(1):54-60

Alvarez Lario B, Alonso Valdivielso JL, Alegre López J, Martel Soteres C, Viejo Bañuelos JL, Marañón Cabello A.

PURPOSE: Sleep alterations and muscular changes suggesting hypoxia have been reported in fibromyalgia syndrome (FS) pathophysiology. We tested the hypothesis that patients with FS show falls in the oxygen saturation of hemoglobin in arterial blood (SaO2%) during sleep. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Overnight SaO2% was measured by digital pulse oximetry in 28 randomly selected women who met 1990 American College of Rheumatology criteria for the diagnosis of FS and 15 similar controls. Considering the results of pulse oximetry and in order to evaluate the possible presence of a sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) as the reason for the nocturnal desaturations, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) was mailed to the patients and controls. Patients and controls who had a score higher than 10 on the ESS underwent a polysomnographic study. RESULTS: Patients with FS showed lower overnight minimum SaO2% (86.8 +/- 1.3 versus 90.7 +/- 0.9 in controls, P < 0.05), greater number of desaturations (8.3 +/- 1.8 versus 2.7 +/- 0.8 in controls, P < 0.05) and more desaturations/hour (1.3 +/- versus 0.4 +/- 0.1 in controls, P < 0.05), more night minutes in SaO2% < 92% (56.3 +/- 12.9 versus 9.1 +/- 3.8 in controls, P < 0.01) and more minutes in SaO2% < 90% (14.7 +/- 3.7 versus 2.4 +/- 1.0 in controls, P < 0.05). There were no differences between patients with FS and controls in ESS scores. Five patients (19.2%) in the FS group and 2 (15.4%) in the control group had ESS scores higher than 10. One patient had 1 control subject showed on apnea-plus-hypopnea index higher than 5 (13 and 9, respectively) in polysomnographic study. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with FS showed small overnight falls in SaO2% and spent more time during the night in SaO2% below 92% and 90% than did the control group. These alterations that, as a whole, are not due to the presence of an associated SAS could be important in FS musculoskeletal pathophysiology.

Publication Types:

• Study

New concepts in primary fibrositis syndrome

Compr Ther. 1989 May;15(5):14-22

Caro XJ.

PFS is a painful rheumatologic disorder that may be detected by the wary clinician attuned to the presence of seven or more tender points. This common disorder may be seen at any age, including childhood, and may be associated with secondary symptoms of depression and other affective disorders. It may also be associated with findings of disturbed sleep, hearing and vestibular abnormalities, and profound complaints of fatigue. The vagueness of this latter complaint means that PFS must be distinguished from the newly described CEBV syndrome. Although the etiology of PFS remains unknown, recent investigations suggest that these patients may suffer a disorder with a central nervous system component as well as a subtle peripheral tissue lesion. Newer PFS studies demonstrate tissue changes that may be consistent with altered microvascular permeability and blood flow, tissue hypoxia, and chronic muscle spasm. An immunologic abnormality, or even a previously undescribed connective tissue disease, may be important as a pathogenic factor in some PFS patients.

Publication Types:

• Review

Publication Types:

• Review