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Differential Diagnosis of Vasovagal Syncope: Fibromyalgia

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Vasovagal Syncope

Abstract

Fibromyalgia (FM) syndrome is a complex and challenging condition for healthcare systems worldwide. A chronic disease of unknown etiology, it is characterized by widespread pain and symptoms that may include fatigue, sleep disturbances, bowel and bladder disorders, mood disorders, neurocognitive impairment, presyncope, and syncope. It can develop at any age, and is similarly prevalent in different countries, cultures, and ethnic groups with a significant predominance of women. The recorded population prevalence rates range from 2 to 8 %, depending on the diagnostic criteria used. Emerging evidence indicates that increased pain processing within the central nervous system plays a primary pathophysiological role. Recent studies have identified distinct FM subgroups on the basis of their clinical, neurochemical, and neuroendocrinological abnormalities, including increased cerebrospinal fluid levels of substance P and excitatory amino acids, and functional anomalies in the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis and the sympathoadrenal (autonomic nervous) system.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Rheumatology Unit, L. Sacco University Hospital, Via GB Grassi 74, Milan, 20157, Italy

    Piercarlo Sarzi-Puttini MD, Rossella Talotta MD, Alberto Batticciotto MD & Fabiola Atzeni MD, PhD

Authors
  1. Piercarlo Sarzi-Puttini MD
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  2. Rossella Talotta MD
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  3. Alberto Batticciotto MD
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  4. Fabiola Atzeni MD, PhD
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Correspondence to Piercarlo Sarzi-Puttini MD .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Section of Cardiology, Ospedale Privato Quisisana, Ferrara, Italy

    Paolo Alboni

  2. Department of Medicine - BIOMETRA, Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Milan, Italy

    Raffaello Furlan

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Sarzi-Puttini, P., Talotta, R., Batticciotto, A., Atzeni, F. (2015). Differential Diagnosis of Vasovagal Syncope: Fibromyalgia. In: Alboni, P., Furlan, R. (eds) Vasovagal Syncope. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-09102-0_17

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-09102-0_17

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-09101-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-09102-0

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