Fibromyalgia Breakthrough

Well, about as big  a breakthrough as has occurred  in the recorded history of fibromyalgia research, which pretty well sets the low end of the scale for scientific breakthroughs.  In fact, the published abstract doesn't even mention fibromyalgia, but hey, you get your good fibromyalgia news where you can.

I could only get the abstract from the Science on-line article but it's pretty intriguing.  In a study of chronic fatigue syndrome, researchers found the presence of retroviral DNA from xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV), in 68 of 101 (67%) patients as compared to only 8 of 218 (3.7%) controls. Derek Lowe at In The Pipeline notes that the same group has now studied three hundred patients and has found the virus in 98%.  Pretty impressive numbers. Almost too impressive?

So what's this got to do with fibromyalgia.  First of all, CFS and fibromyalgia are very similar diseases. If you look at the criteria for CFS, you could be talking about any one of my fibromyalgia patients.  

The fatigue of CFS is accompanied by characteristic symptoms lasting at least six months. These symptoms include:

• difficulties with memory and concentration
• problems with sleep
• persistent muscle pain
• joint pain (without redness or swelling)
• headaches
• tender lymph nodes
• increased malaise (fatigue and sickness) following exertion
• sore throat

About the only difference is that the focus for CFS is fatigue and for fibromyalgia, it's pain.  Amongst 300 patients, I'd be surprised if there wasn't a lot of patients that would fulfill the criteria for fibromyalgia.  So, if 98% are positive for the virus, well maybe fibro patients will test positive as well.  In fact, the research institute which funded the study says as much, although without any numbers.

So we have here a study that's not about fibromyalgia, in abstract form alone, with no detail about study technique, concerning a virus that nobody has really heard about, from a private research institute with little track record, and nearly unbelievable numbers.

Well, in fibromyalgia terms, we call that progress.

Comments

[Dr. J]

Very interesting. A little bit of direction is better than none.

[3+speckled]

Interesting for sure, but that 98% concerns me. I doubt that 98% of patients diagnosed with CFS actually have CFS. If true, it would make me wonder if the virus causes depression as well. Now that would be interesting.

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[lisa]

does anybody know of a health insurance company that pays covers fibromyalgia y husband and i found one called healthinsurance buy or www.health-insurance-buyer.com do you know if you have to have the policy so long before they cover?

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Nevermore will I be satisfied with yesterday's accomplishments nor will I indulge, anymore, in self-praise for deeds which in reality are too small to even acknowledge.