Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic musculoskeletal pain syndrome characterized by widespread pain and a variety of other symptoms, including fatigue, cognitive dysfunction, and sleep disturbances. Recent research has highlighted the potential role of pro-inflammatory cytokines and neurotransmitters in the pathophysiology of FM. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and serotonin with the clinical parameters observed in patients with fibromyalgia. Additionally, it sought to analyze the similarities and differences among the different groups classified by symptom severity.
Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study included 26 female patients aged 20-70 diagnosed with FM according to the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 2016 criteria and 14 healthy controls (HCs). Serum levels of IL-6 and serotonin were measured using electrochemiluminescence and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), respectively.
Results: FM patients exhibited significantly higher pain scores (VAS), anxiety, and depression levels compared to HCs. FIQ-R scores were significantly elevated in FM patients, with stratification showing 3.8% mild, 65.4% moderate, 23.1% severe, and 7.7% very severe cases. While no significant difference in IL-6 levels was observed between the FM patients and HCs, a trend towards increased IL-6 levels in patients with higher FIQ-R scores was noted. Serum serotonin levels were significantly lower in the FM patients than in the HCs, with moderate patients having lower levels than those classified as severe and very severe.
Conclusions: The study underscores the potential role of IL-6 and serotonin in the pathophysiology of FM, suggesting that these biomarkers could be relevant in assessing the severity and impact of FM. Further research is needed to elucidate these relationships and their implications for developing personalized treatment strategies.
Keywords: FIQ-R; IL-6 and serotonin; fibromyalgia.
PubMed Disclaimer
Conflict of interest statement
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
Figures
Figure 1
Figure 1 Comparison of profile clinical parameters…
Figure 2
Figure 2 Comparison of levels of IL-6…
Similar articles
Frequency of fibromyalgia syndrome in breast cancer patients.
Akkaya N, Atalay NS, Selcuk ST, Alkan H, Catalbas N, Sahin F.
Int J Clin Oncol. 2013 Apr;18(2):285-92. doi: 10.1007/s10147-012-0377-9. Epub 2012 Feb 10.
PMID: 22322540
The comparative burden of mild, moderate and severe fibromyalgia: results from a cross-sectional survey in the United States.
Schaefer C, Chandran A, Hufstader M, Baik R, McNett M, Goldenberg D, Gerwin R, Zlateva G.
Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2011 Aug 22;9:71. doi: 10.1186/1477-7525-9-71.
PMID: 21859448Free PMC article.
Pro-inflammatory Cytokines and Oxidized Low-Density-Lipoprotein in Patients With Fibromyalgia.
Kutu FC, Özdolap Ş, Sarikaya S.
Arch Rheumatol. 2018 Aug 16;34(2):123-129. doi: 10.5606/ArchRheumatol.2019.6733. eCollection 2019 Jun.
PMID: 31497758Free PMC article.
Effect of coenzyme Q10 evaluated by 1990 and 2010 ACR Diagnostic Criteria for Fibromyalgia and SCL-90-R: four case reports and literature review.
Alcocer-Gómez E, Cano-García FJ, Cordero MD.
Nutrition. 2013 Nov-Dec;29(11-12):1422-5. doi: 10.1016/j.nut.2013.05.005.
PMID: 24103521Review.
Neuronutritional Approach to Fibromyalgia Management: A Narrative Review.
Badaeva A, Danilov A, Kosareva A, Lepshina M, Novikov V, Vorobyeva Y, Danilov A.
Pain Ther. 2024 Oct;13(5):1047-1061. doi: 10.1007/s40122-024-00641-2. Epub 2024 Jul 23.
PMID: 39042252Free PMC article.Review.
See all similar articles
Cited by
Fibromyalgia, Depression, and Autoimmune Disorders: An Interconnected Web of Inflammation.
Sedda S, Cadoni MPL, Medici S, Aiello E, Erre GL, Nivoli AM, Carru C, Coradduzza D.
Biomedicines. 2025 Feb 18;13(2):503. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines13020503.
PMID: 40002916Free PMC article.Review.
Modeling Pain Without Injury: Inherited Rodent Models as Mechanistic Windows into Chronic Pain.
Ferrari LF, Taylor NE.
Function (Oxf). 2025 Oct 28;6(6):zqaf043. doi: 10.1093/function/zqaf043.
PMID: 40972013Free PMC article.Review.
Ashwagandha Root Extract Mitigates Fibromyalgia-like Symptoms via Neurochemical and Histological Modulation in Mice.
Hasanyn RF, Batawi AH, Al-Thepyani MA, Tash R, Almuhammadi A, Alsabban AH, Alghamdi BS.
Cells. 2025 Sep 22;14(18):1478. doi: 10.3390/cells14181478.
PMID: 41002443Free PMC article.
Exploring gut microbiota alterations and their associations with clinical symptoms in fibromyalgia.
Lopez de Coca T, Muñoz-Almaraz FJ, Martinez-Blanch JF, Moreno L.
Sci Rep. 2025 Dec 13;16(1):2327. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-32101-y.
PMID: 41390899Free PMC article.
Low Serum Asprosin Levels in Fibromyalgia Syndrome: Insights from a Cross-Sectional Study.
Uslu MF, Uslu EY, Yıldız S, Tabara MF.
Medicina (Kaunas). 2025 Feb 26;61(3):410. doi: 10.3390/medicina61030410.
PMID: 40142221Free PMC article.
References
Siracusa R., Paola R.D., Cuzzocrea S., Impellizzeri D. Fibromyalgia: Pathogenesis, mechanisms, diagnosis and treatment options update. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021;22:3891. – PMC – PubMed
Souza J.B.D., Perissinotti D.M.N. A prevalência da fibromialgia no Brasil–estudo de base populacional com dados secundários da pesquisa de prevalência de dor crônica brasileira. BrJP. 2018;1:345–348.
Chinn S., Caldwell W., Gritsenko K. Fibromyalgia pathogenesis and treatment options update. Curr. Pain Headache Rep. 2016;20:25. – PubMed
Latremoliere A., Woolf C.J. Central sensitization: A generator of pain hypersensitivity by central neural plasticity. J. Pain. 2009;10:895–926. – PMC – PubMed
Marino Y., Arangia A., Cordaro M., Siracusa R., D’Amico R., Impellizzeri D., Cupi R., Peritore A.F., Gugliandolo E., Fusco R., et al. Analysis of the Influence of IL-6 and the Activation of the Jak/Stat3 Pathway in Fibromyalgia. Biomedicines. 2023;11:792. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines11030792. – DOI – PMC – PubMed
