SELENIUM STATUS IN FIBROMYALGIA

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic musculoskeletal pain syndrome of unknow n etiology. The serum concentration of selenium (Se) was measured in 6 8 consecutive patients (nine :male, mean age: 47 years; 59 female, mea n age 49 years) with FM. The age- and sex-matched control group includ ed 97 female healthy blood donors (mean age 46 years). The method is b ased on high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) involving detect ion of the fluorescent diaminonaphthalene (DAN) derivate of selenite. There was a statistical significant difference (P < 0.05) in serum Se between control (median 77 mu g/l; range: 50-118 mu g/l) and patients (median 71 mu g/l; range: 39-154 mu g/l) groups in the region of Tubin gen, Germany. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserv ed.