Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Genomics of Fibromyalgia

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Genomics of Pain and Co-Morbid Symptoms

  • 432 Accesses

Abstract

This chapter describes investigations that explored the genomic correlates of fibromyalgia. Significance and prevalence rates are reviewed and definitions are discussed within the context of the need to develop case definitions and phenotypes to advance the science and management of fibromyalgia. Underlying mechanisms and several clinical practice guidelines are presented. A summary of recommendations regarding assessment and management of fibromyalgia, drawn from the guidelines, is listed with particular emphasis on the co-management of co-occurring symptoms and conditions such as deconditioning and muscle weakness, lack of energy, pain, emotional distress, cognitive impairment, sleep disturbance/insomnia, and nutrition-related issues. The chapter concludes with a brief discussion about the significance of these genomic correlates of fibromyalgia recommending potential research topics to pursue in order to fill the existing gaps in knowledge.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 69.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Ablin JN, Buskila D. Update on the genetics of the fibromyalgia syndrome. Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 2015;29(1):20–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ablin JN, et al. Coping styles in fibromyalgia: effect of co-morbid posttraumatic stress disorder. Rheumatol Int. 2008;28(7):649–56.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ablin JN, et al. Evaluation of leptin levels among fibromyalgia patients before and after three months of treatment, in comparison with healthy controls. Pain Res Manag. 2012;17(2):89–92.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Akkaya N, et al. Relationship between the body image and level of pain, functional status, severity of depression, and quality of life in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome. Clin Rheumatol. 2012;31(6):983–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Akkus S, et al. Levels of lipid peroxidation, nitric oxide, and antioxidant vitamins in plasma of patients with fibromyalgia. Cell Biochem Funct. 2009;27(4):181–5.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Alciati A, et al. Features of mood associated with high body weight in females with fibromyalgia. Compr Psychiatry. 2018;80:57–64.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Nimer MSM, Mohammad TAM, Alsakeni RA. Serum levels of serotonin as a biomarker of newly diagnosed fibromyalgia in women: its relation to the platelet indices. J Res Med Sci. 2018;23:71.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Aparicio VA, et al. Are there gender differences in quality of life and symptomatology between fibromyalgia patients? Am J Mens Health. 2012;6(4):314–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Arnold LM, Clauw DJ, McCarberg BH, FibroCollaborative. Improving the recognition and diagnosis of fibromyalgia. Mayo Clin Proc. 2011;86(5):457–64.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Arnold LM, et al. A framework for fibromyalgia management for primary care providers. Mayo Clin Proc. 2012;87(5):488–96.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Berger A, et al. Characteristics and healthcare costs of patients with fibromyalgia syndrome. Int J Clin Pract. 2007;61(9):1498–508.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Beyazal MS, et al. The impact of fibromyalgia on disability, anxiety, depression, sleep disturbance, and quality of life in patients with migraine. Noro Psikiyatr Ars. 2018;55(2):140–5.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Blanco I, et al. Abnormal overexpression of mastocytes in skin biopsies of fibromyalgia patients. Clin Rheumatol. 2010;29(12):1403–12.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Blanco S, et al. Olfactory and cognitive functioning in patients with fibromyalgia. Psychol Health Med. 2019;24(5):530–41.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bondy B, et al. The T102C polymorphism of the 5-HT2A-receptor gene in fibromyalgia. Neurobiol Dis. 1999;6(5):433–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Boyington JE, Schoster B, Callahan LF. Comparisons of body image perceptions of a sample of black and white women with rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia in the US. Open Rheumatol J. 2015;9:1–7.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Buskila D, et al. Familial aggregation in the fibromyalgia syndrome. Semin Arthritis Rheum. 1996;26(3):605–11.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Buskila D, Sarzi-Puttini P, Ablin JN. The genetics of fibromyalgia syndrome. Pharmacogenomics. 2007;8(1):67–74.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cabo-Meseguer A, Cerda-Olmedo G, Trillo-Mata JL. Fibromyalgia: prevalence, epidemiologic profiles and economic costs. Med Clin (Barc). 2017;149(10):441–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carta MG, et al. The impact of fibromyalgia syndrome and the role of comorbidity with mood and post-traumatic stress disorder in worsening the quality of life. Int J Soc Psychiatry. 2018;64(7):647–55.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Castro-Marrero J, et al. Could mitochondrial dysfunction be a differentiating marker between chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia? Antioxid Redox Signal. 2013;19(15):1855–60.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ciampi de Andrade D, et al. Epigenetics insights into chronic pain: DNA hypomethylation in fibromyalgia-a controlled pilot-study. Pain. 2017;158(8):1473–80.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Conversano C, et al. Potentially traumatic events, post-traumatic stress disorder and post-traumatic stress spectrum in patients with fibromyalgia. Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2019;116(1):39–43.

    Google Scholar 

  • Creed F, et al. Is there a better term than “medically unexplained symptoms”? J Psychosom Res. 2010;68(1):5–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • de Araujo TA, Mota MC, Crispim CA. Obesity and sleepiness in women with fibromyalgia. Rheumatol Int. 2015;35(2):281–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Docampo E, et al. Genome-wide analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms and copy number variants in fibromyalgia suggest a role for the central nervous system. Pain. 2014;155(6):1102–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Eison AS, Mullins UL. Regulation of central 5-HT2A receptors: a review of in vivo studies. Behav Brain Res. 1996;73(1–2):177–81.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Elkana O, et al. Does the cognitive index of the symptom severity scale evaluate cognition? Data from subjective and objective cognitive measures in fibromyalgia. Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2019;116(1):51–7.

    Google Scholar 

  • Estevez-Lopez F, et al. The TT genotype of the rs6860 polymorphism of the charged multivesicular body protein 1A gene is associated with susceptibility to fibromyalgia in southern Spanish women. Rheumatol Int. 2018a;38(3):531–3.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Estevez-Lopez F, et al. Identification of candidate genes associated with fibromyalgia susceptibility in southern Spanish women: the al-Andalus project. J Transl Med. 2018b;16(1):43.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Fink P, Schroder A. One single diagnosis, bodily distress syndrome, succeeded to capture 10 diagnostic categories of functional somatic syndromes and somatoform disorders. J Psychosom Res. 2010;68(5):415–26.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Galvez-Sanchez CM, Duschek S, Reyes Del Paso GA. Psychological impact of fibromyalgia: current perspectives. Psychol Res Behav Manag. 2019;12:117–27.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Gonzalez B, et al. Fibromyalgia: antecedent life events, disability, and causal attribution. Psychol Health Med. 2013;18(4):461–70.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gota CE, Kaouk S, Wilke WS. Fibromyalgia and obesity: the association between body mass index and disability, depression, history of abuse, medications, and comorbidities. J Clin Rheumatol. 2015;21(6):289–95.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hauser W, et al. Fibromyalgia. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2015;1:15022.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Henningsen P, Creed F. The genetic, physiological and psychological mechanisms underlying disabling medically unexplained symptoms and somatisation. J Psychosom Res. 2010;68(5):395–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Heymann RE, et al. New guidelines for the diagnosis of fibromyalgia. Rev Bras Reumatol Engl Ed. 2017;57(Suppl 2):467–76.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jones KD, et al. Genome-wide expression profiling in the peripheral blood of patients with fibromyalgia. Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2016;34(2 Suppl 96):S89–98.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kang JH, et al. Severity of fibromyalgia symptoms is associated with socioeconomic status and not obesity in Korean patients. Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2016;34(2 Suppl 96):S83–8.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kia S, Choy E. Update on treatment guideline in fibromyalgia syndrome with focus on pharmacology. Biomedicine. 2017;5(2) https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines5020020.

  • Kuzelova H, Ptacek R, Macek M. The serotonin transporter gene (5-HTT) variant and psychiatric disorders: review of current literature. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2010;31(1):4–10.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lee C, et al. Association of catechol-O-methyltransferase single nucleotide polymorphisms, ethnicity, and sex in a large cohort of fibromyalgia patients. BMC Rheumatol. 2018;2:38.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Lukkahatai N, et al. Comparing genomic profiles of women with and without fibromyalgia. Biol Res Nurs. 2015;17(4):373–83.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lukkahatai N, et al. Understanding the association of fatigue with other symptoms of fibromyalgia: development of a cluster model. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2016;68(1):99–107.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Manivannan V. What we see when we digitize pain: the risk of valorizing image-based representations of fibromyalgia over body and bodily experience. Digit Health. 2017;3:2055207617708860.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Mas AJ, et al. Prevalence and impact of fibromyalgia on function and quality of life in individuals from the general population: results from a nationwide study in Spain. Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2008;26(4):519–26.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mork PJ, Vasseljen O, Nilsen TI. Association between physical exercise, body mass index, and risk of fibromyalgia: longitudinal data from the Norwegian Nord-Trondelag Health Study. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2010;62(5):611–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Okifuji A, Bradshaw DH, Olson C. Evaluating obesity in fibromyalgia: neuroendocrine biomarkers, symptoms, and functions. Clin Rheumatol. 2009;28(4):475–8.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Paiva ES, et al. Serum levels of leptin and adiponectin and clinical parameters in women with fibromyalgia and overweight/obesity. Arch Endocrinol Metab. 2017;61(3):249–56.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pellegrino MJ, Waylonis GW, Sommer A. Familial occurrence of primary fibromyalgia. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1989;70(1):61–3.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Perrot S, et al. Survey of physician experiences and perceptions about the diagnosis and treatment of fibromyalgia. BMC Health Serv Res. 2012;12:356.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Ruggiero V, et al. A preliminary study on serum proteomics in fibromyalgia syndrome. Clin Chem Lab Med. 2014;52(9):e207–10.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Samartin-Veiga N, Gonzalez-Villar AJ, Carrillo-de-la-Pena MT. Neural correlates of cognitive dysfunction in fibromyalgia patients: reduced brain electrical activity during the execution of a cognitive control task. Neuroimage Clin. 2019;23:101817.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Sarchielli P, et al. Increased levels of neurotrophins are not specific for chronic migraine: evidence from primary fibromyalgia syndrome. J Pain. 2007;8(9):737–45.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Segura-Jimenez V, et al. The association of total and central body fat with pain, fatigue and the impact of fibromyalgia in women; role of physical fitness. Eur J Pain. 2016a;20(5):811–21.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Segura-Jimenez V, et al. Gender differences in symptoms, health-related quality of life, sleep quality, mental health, cognitive performance, pain-cognition, and positive health in Spanish fibromyalgia individuals: the Al-Andalus project. Pain Res Manag. 2016b;2016:5135176.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Sharpe M, Carson A. “Unexplained” somatic symptoms, functional syndromes, and somatization: do we need a paradigm shift? Ann Intern Med. 2001;134(9 Pt 2):926–30.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Van Houdenhove B, Egle UT. Fibromyalgia: a stress disorder? Piecing the biopsychosocial puzzle together. Psychother Psychosom. 2004;73(5):267–75.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wallace DJ, et al. Cytokines play an aetiopathogenetic role in fibromyalgia: a hypothesis and pilot study. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2001;40(7):743–9.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Waylonis GW, Heck W. Fibromyalgia syndrome. New associations. Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 1992;71(6):343–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • White C, et al. Analysis of real-world dosing patterns for the 3 FDA-approved medications in the treatment of fibromyalgia. Am Health Drug Benefits. 2018;11(6):293–301.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Wolfe F. New American College of Rheumatology criteria for fibromyalgia: a twenty-year journey. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2010;62(5):583–4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wolfe F, et al. The American College of Rheumatology 1990 Criteria for the classification of fibromyalgia. Report of the multicenter criteria committee. Arthritis Rheum. 1990;33(2):160–72.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wolfe F, et al. The American College of Rheumatology preliminary diagnostic criteria for fibromyalgia and measurement of symptom severity. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2010;62(5):600–10.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wolfe F, et al. The use of polysymptomatic distress categories in the evaluation of fibromyalgia (FM) and FM severity. J Rheumatol. 2015;42(8):1494–501.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Wolfe F, et al. 2016 revisions to the 2010/2011 fibromyalgia diagnostic criteria. Semin Arthritis Rheum. 2016;46(3):319–29.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wolfe F, et al. Primary and secondary fibromyalgia are the same: the universality of polysymptomatic distress. J Rheumatol. 2019;46(2):204–12.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yunus M, et al. Primary fibromyalgia (fibrositis): clinical study of 50 patients with matched normal controls. Semin Arthritis Rheum. 1981;11(1):151–71.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Y, et al. Clinical, psychological features and quality of life of fibromyalgia patients: a cross-sectional study of Chinese sample. Clin Rheumatol. 2018;37(2):527–37.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Nada Lukkahatai

  2. Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Nursing Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA

    Leorey N. Saligan

Authors
  1. Nada Lukkahatai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Leorey N. Saligan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Leorey N. Saligan .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pain and Translational Symptom Science, University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Susan G. Dorsey

  2. University of Connecticut School of Nursing, Storrs, CT, USA

    Angela R. Starkweather

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Lukkahatai, N., Saligan, L.N. (2020). Genomics of Fibromyalgia. In: Dorsey, S., Starkweather, A. (eds) Genomics of Pain and Co-Morbid Symptoms. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-21657-3_11

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-21657-3_11

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-21656-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-21657-3

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation