Deciphering the Role of Oxidative and Antioxidative Parameters and Toxic Metal Ion Content in Women with Fibromyalgia Syndrome

Abstract

Objective
In the present study we examined the connivance of oxidative and antioxidative parameters and toxic metal ion in women with FMS and also evaluated its correlation with the severity of its symptoms.

Introduction
FMS is a common chronic pain syndrome with an unknown etiology. Increased oxidative stress results from disparity between products of oxidation and antioxidant defenses. There are several clinical conditions integrated with increased oxidative stress, but novel data suggest a relationship between oxidative stress and pain perception. Furthermore, there is scant information available in scientific literature about oxidative and antioxidative parameters in FMS.

Methods
Oxidative stress was determined by measuring the levels of Lipid Peroxides (LPO), nitric oxide (NO) and Protein carbonyl in plasma and antioxidative parameters like catalase, Glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and Glutathione Reductase (GR) in lysate and toxic metals like aluminum (Al) and lead (Pb) in blood plasma in 100 female patients satisfying American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria for FMS and 100 healthy females without FMS. Clinical parameters of FMS were evaluated by Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire Revised (FIQR).

Results
Concentrations of catalase (p<0.01), GR (p<0.01) and GPx (p<0.01) were significantly lower in patients with FMS than in controls, and levels of oxidative stress parameters, LPO (p<0.01), NO (p<0.01) and Protein carbonyl (p<0.01) were significantly higher in patients than in controls. Further, no significant changes were found in blood plasma levels of Al and Pb in both the groups. Moreover, a significant positive correlation was found between LPO, NO, Protein carbonyl and clinical symptoms of FMS among patients group.

Conclusion
The present results indicate that women with FMS are exposed to oxidative stress and this escalated oxidative stress may play a role in the etiopathogenesis of the disease. Moreover, our results also show that increased oxidative stress parameters are more strongly amalgamated with FMS symptoms.