Antibody profile in patients with fibromyalgia compared to healthy controls

Objective: The etiology of fibromyalgia [FMS] is yet unknown. In some cases an acute onset of symptoms may indicate an infection being an early event in the pathogenesis of FMS. Hence our aim was to test for antibodies as mar kers of previous or ongoing infection as well as for other markers of rheum atic disease. Methods: Specific antibodies against a wide spectrum of infectious agents a s well as a number of autoantibodies were looked for in all patients and co ntrols. Participants were on no medication. Results: No significant serological differences were found between the two groups, except for the unexpected finding that 45% of the FMS patients had circulating immunoglobulin [IgM] antibodies against enterovirus compared to 10% in the control group [P = 0.06)], none of them presenting a history of a recent gastrointestinal infection. Conclusion: The occurrence of IgM antibodies against enterovirus may indica te an aberrant immune response to prior or ongoing infection in some patien ts with FMS.