Serum VEGF and CGRP Biomarkers: Relationships with Pain Intensity, Electric Pain, Pressure Pain Threshold, and Clinical Symptoms in Fibromyalgia—An Observational Study
Fibromyalgia (FM) is a multifactorial syndrome, mainly characterized by chronic widespread pain, whose physiopathology is yet to be determined. Reliable biomarkers for FM and how they are associated with the symptomatology have not yet been identified. We aimed to examine the relationships among ser...
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MDPI AG
2023-10-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/21/15533 |
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| author | Rosa Mª Tapia-Haro Francisco Molina Alma Rus Antonio Casas-Barragán María Correa-Rodríguez Mª Encarnación Aguilar-Ferrándiz |
| author_facet | Rosa Mª Tapia-Haro Francisco Molina Alma Rus Antonio Casas-Barragán María Correa-Rodríguez Mª Encarnación Aguilar-Ferrándiz |
| author_sort | Rosa Mª Tapia-Haro |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Fibromyalgia (FM) is a multifactorial syndrome, mainly characterized by chronic widespread pain, whose physiopathology is yet to be determined. Reliable biomarkers for FM and how they are associated with the symptomatology have not yet been identified. We aimed to examine the relationships among serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) levels with clinical manifestations and pain-related variables in women with FM. We conducted an observational case study with forty-seven women diagnosed with FM. Serum VEGF and CGRP levels were spectrophotometrically analyzed. We used questionnaires to measure the impact of FM and the degree of central sensitization, fatigue, and anxiety. We also assessed pain intensity, electric pain threshold and magnitude, and pressure pain threshold (PPT) in tender points. The linear regression analysis adjusting for age, menopause status, and body mass index showed that serum VEGF levels were significantly associated with the PPTs of non-dominant trapezius (β = 153.418; <i>p</i> = 0.033), non-dominant second metacarpal (β = 174.676; <i>p</i> = 0.008) and dominant tibialis anterior (β = 115.080; <i>p</i> = 0.049) in women with FM. We found no association between serum CGRP levels and the variables measured (<i>p</i> ≥ 0.152). Our results suggest that VEGF may be related to pain processing in patients with FM. |
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| id | doaj.art-5ec62e816ac34fe5b2747e8a8f62c70a |
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| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T11:29:40Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
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| series | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-5ec62e816ac34fe5b2747e8a8f62c70a2023-11-10T15:04:18ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences1661-65961422-00672023-10-0124211553310.3390/ijms242115533Serum VEGF and CGRP Biomarkers: Relationships with Pain Intensity, Electric Pain, Pressure Pain Threshold, and Clinical Symptoms in Fibromyalgia—An Observational StudyRosa Mª Tapia-Haro0Francisco Molina1Alma Rus2Antonio Casas-Barragán3María Correa-Rodríguez4Mª Encarnación Aguilar-Ferrándiz5Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Granada (UGR), 18016 Granada, SpainDepartment of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Granada (UGR), 18016 Granada, SpainInstituto de Investigación Biosanitaria ibs.GRANADA, 18012 Granada, SpainDepartment of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Granada (UGR), 18016 Granada, SpainInstituto de Investigación Biosanitaria ibs.GRANADA, 18012 Granada, SpainDepartment of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Granada (UGR), 18016 Granada, SpainFibromyalgia (FM) is a multifactorial syndrome, mainly characterized by chronic widespread pain, whose physiopathology is yet to be determined. Reliable biomarkers for FM and how they are associated with the symptomatology have not yet been identified. We aimed to examine the relationships among serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) levels with clinical manifestations and pain-related variables in women with FM. We conducted an observational case study with forty-seven women diagnosed with FM. Serum VEGF and CGRP levels were spectrophotometrically analyzed. We used questionnaires to measure the impact of FM and the degree of central sensitization, fatigue, and anxiety. We also assessed pain intensity, electric pain threshold and magnitude, and pressure pain threshold (PPT) in tender points. The linear regression analysis adjusting for age, menopause status, and body mass index showed that serum VEGF levels were significantly associated with the PPTs of non-dominant trapezius (β = 153.418; <i>p</i> = 0.033), non-dominant second metacarpal (β = 174.676; <i>p</i> = 0.008) and dominant tibialis anterior (β = 115.080; <i>p</i> = 0.049) in women with FM. We found no association between serum CGRP levels and the variables measured (<i>p</i> ≥ 0.152). Our results suggest that VEGF may be related to pain processing in patients with FM.https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/21/15533fibromyalgiapainclinical manifestationsbiomarkersvascular endothelial growth factorcalcitonin gene-related peptide |
| spellingShingle | Rosa Mª Tapia-Haro Francisco Molina Alma Rus Antonio Casas-Barragán María Correa-Rodríguez Mª Encarnación Aguilar-Ferrándiz Serum VEGF and CGRP Biomarkers: Relationships with Pain Intensity, Electric Pain, Pressure Pain Threshold, and Clinical Symptoms in Fibromyalgia—An Observational Study International Journal of Molecular Sciences fibromyalgia pain clinical manifestations biomarkers vascular endothelial growth factor calcitonin gene-related peptide |
| title | Serum VEGF and CGRP Biomarkers: Relationships with Pain Intensity, Electric Pain, Pressure Pain Threshold, and Clinical Symptoms in Fibromyalgia—An Observational Study |
| title_full | Serum VEGF and CGRP Biomarkers: Relationships with Pain Intensity, Electric Pain, Pressure Pain Threshold, and Clinical Symptoms in Fibromyalgia—An Observational Study |
| title_fullStr | Serum VEGF and CGRP Biomarkers: Relationships with Pain Intensity, Electric Pain, Pressure Pain Threshold, and Clinical Symptoms in Fibromyalgia—An Observational Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Serum VEGF and CGRP Biomarkers: Relationships with Pain Intensity, Electric Pain, Pressure Pain Threshold, and Clinical Symptoms in Fibromyalgia—An Observational Study |
| title_short | Serum VEGF and CGRP Biomarkers: Relationships with Pain Intensity, Electric Pain, Pressure Pain Threshold, and Clinical Symptoms in Fibromyalgia—An Observational Study |
| title_sort | serum vegf and cgrp biomarkers relationships with pain intensity electric pain pressure pain threshold and clinical symptoms in fibromyalgia an observational study |
| topic | fibromyalgia pain clinical manifestations biomarkers vascular endothelial growth factor calcitonin gene-related peptide |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/21/15533 |
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