PubMed abstract from Mersin University researchers.

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Two points in this abstract are of great significance:

1. They state a clinical distinction between those with Fibro and

those without Fibro.

" Malondialdehyde levels were significantly higher and superoxide

dismutase levels significantly lower in fibromyalgic patients than

controls " .

2. They report that pain is independent from number of tender points.

" We found no correlation between pain and number of tender points " .

We have found this to be true in correspondence with thousands of

people with Fibro / CFS / RLS. The INTENSITY of pain is not related

to the number of tender points a person has.

In RLS, for instance, they mostly have problems below the waist, and

only when lying down. Tender points in upper parts of the body tell

nothing about their problems.

In some with Fibro, brain fog and headaches are their most pronounced

symptoms, while tender points are insignificant.

THESE MERSIN UNIVERSITY FELLOWS ARE BARKING UP THE RIGHT TREE!

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

Free radicals and antioxidants in primary fibromyalgia: an oxidative

stress disorder?

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]