Some Fibro Research Stuff (a wee biology lesson)
- From: "Janey Pooh" <janepooh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: 31 Jul 2006 08:11:10 -0700
A wee Biology Lesson . . . I've tried to make this understandable to us
'laypersons' by building a little Glossary of Terms after the link and
Conclusions - so don't be frightened away by the big words at the
beginning. LOL
Cytokines play an aetiopathogenetic role in fibromyalgia: a hypothesis
and pilot study:
D. J. Wallace, M. Linker-Israeli, D. Hallegua, S. Silverman, D. Silver
and M. H. Weisman
Department of Medicine/Division of Rheumatology, Cedars-Sinai Medical
Center/UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA
http://intl-rheumatology.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/40/7/743
Conclusions: In patients with FM we found increases over time in serum
levels and/or PBMC-stimulated activity of soluble factors whose release
is stimulated by substance P. Because IL-8 promotes sympathetic pain
and IL-6 induces hyperalgesia, fatigue and depression, it is
hypothesized that they may play a role in modulating FM symptoms.
So what does this mean to us 'average Jo's' who didn't go to med
school? LOL
Here's a bit of a glossary and explanation, as I understand it . . .
Aetiopathogenetic is a combination of the words Etiology and
Pathogenesis. Etiology is
the study or theory of the factors that cause disease and the method of
their introduction to the host; the cause(s) or origin of disease or
disorder; and Pathogenesis is the development of morbid conditions or
of disease; more specifically the celluar events and reactions and
other pathologic mechanisms occurring in the development of disease.
So Aetiopathogenetic just means the study of 'biological', specifically
cellular, causes for a certain disease. In this case it means the
study of whether Cytokines might play a role in the cause of
Fibromyalgia.
Cytokines are proteins produced by white blood cells that act as
chemical messengers between cells. They can stimulate or inhibit the
growth and activity of various immune cells.
Hyperalgesia is a higher than normal response to pain signals.
When they refer to IL-6 and IL-8 in abstracts or research papers, they
are talking about Interleukins. Interleukins are proteins that are
produced naturally by our bodies to stimulate our immune systems.
They're released into the body to combat stress or as a reaction to
stress (I'm talking physical OR mental stress here. It's kinda all the
same to brain chemicals, in one way or another. ;o)
Have I lost you yet? ;o) I'll try to tie it all together in the end.
Moving on . . .
PBMC-stimulated activity - PBMC stands for Peripheral Blood Mononuclear
Cell. These blood cells are a critical component in the human immune
system to fight infection and adapt to organic intruders.
Serum levels refer to your blood plasma - the liquid component of your
blood, in which the blood cells are suspended. Serum is the same as
blood plasma, except the clotting factors have been removed.
Substance P is a neurotransmitter that transmits pain impulses from
peripheral receptors to the central nervous system.
Sooooooo . . . now that we know all that (I could have just said THIS
part, but I thought you guys might like a glimpse into *my* hobby -
learning what all this means. ;o)
Here's that conclusion again:
Conclusions: In patients with FM we found increases over time in serum
levels and/or PBMC-stimulated activity of soluble factors whose release
is stimulated by substance P. Because IL-8 promotes sympathetic pain
and IL-6 induces hyperalgesia, fatigue and depression, it is
hypothesized that they may play a role in modulating FM symptoms.
Which means - In patients with FM they found increases over time in
blood tests showing that the infection fighters that are stimulated by
Substance P - the neurotransmitter that sends pain signals - are
increased. They go on to explain that the natural proteins released by
our immune systems to fight stress might be causing sympathetic pain
(pain in other areas) and Fatigue and Depression and an Increased
response to pain signals, and figuring this out may play a role in
controlling FM symptoms.
Which means . . . STRESS EXACERBATES FIBROMYALGIA.
ROFL Sorry - it's my mantra. ;o)
BTW, if you made it this far, you should take a look at the Curriculum
Vitae of the Doctor who headed this study. He's been a BUSY guy -
there's a TON of abstracts and studies and books on this guy's resume.
LOL To make it easier on yourself, when you get there, go to Edit on
your top menu bar and choose Find (on this page). Then type in the
word fibromyalgia and it will jump to each time that word is mentioned
in the copy.
Curriculum Vitae: Dr. Daniel Wallace, M.D., F.A.C.P., F.A.C.R.
http://home.earthlink.net/~wallacersch/bio.html
That's how I came upon this study. I found a schedule for a symposium
where he spoke on how he thinks Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders
can cause co-morbidity with Fibromyalgia - but it didn't say anything
MORE. So I wanted to find out more and went hunting for the guy,
trying to find out more about him. Hit the jackpot with his CV. But
then I got sidetracked building that glossary and still haven't even
LOOKED for the "Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders May Cause
Co-Morbid Syndromes Such As Fibromyalgia" paper yet. ROFL
Now you know how *I* spend my spare time. LOL Who needs to spend time
googling other crap when you can spend your time THIS way? ;o)
Take GOOD Care,
Jane
.
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