Elevated cerebrospinal fluid levels of substance p in patients with the fibromyalgia syndrome
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To measure, and seek clinical correlates with, levels of substance P (SP) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) patients. METHODS: CSF from 32 FMS patients and 30 normal control subjects was tested for SP by radioimmunoassay. Clinical measures included tender point examination and standardized questionnaires. RESULTS: CSF SP levels were 3-fold higher in FMS patients than in normal controls (P < 0.001), but they correlated only weakly with tenderness found on examination. CONCLUSION: SP is significantly elevated in FMS CSF, but other abnormalities must exist in FMS to more fully explain the symptoms.
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Compared with 30 healthy controls, a threefold higher concentration of substance P was detected in the cerebrospinal fluid of all 32 fibromyalgia patients.
“I J RussellRussell et al. further reported that, compared with 30 healthy controls, a threefold higher concentration of SP was detected in the CSF of all 32 FMS patients (51).”
From Nociplastic pain: the prominent role of non-neuronal cells in central and peripheral sensitization (2026) · cites this paper as [51]
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- Authors
- Russell, I. J., Orr, M. D., Littman, B., Vipraio, G. A., Alboukrek, D., Michalek, J. E., Lopez, Y., & Mackillip, F.
- Affiliations
- The University of Texas at San Antonio Health Science Center (US)
- The University of Texas at Austin (US)
- Pfizer (United States) (US)
- United States Air Force (US)
- Corresponding author
- Russell, I. Jon
- ORCID
- Michalek, Joel E.
- Venue
- Arthritis & Rheumatism
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 1994-11
- Volume
- 37
- Issue
- 11
- Pages
- 1593-1601
- ISSN
- 0004-3591 (ISSN-L)
- 1529-0131
- OpenAlex
- W2107676335
- Cited by
- 679
- References
- 4
- Citations by year
- 2026: 14 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 17 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 16 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 21 · 2016: 13 · 2015: 22 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 23 · 2012: 33
- FWCI
- 8.88
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Arthritis & Rheumatism (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Pain Mechanisms and Treatments
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Migraine and Headache Studies
- Keywords
- fibromyalgia, substance P, cerebrospinal fluid, neuropeptides, tender points, pain mechanisms, neurogenic inflammation
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Female, Fibromyalgia, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Predictive Value of Tests, Radioimmunoassay, Regression Analysis, Spinal Puncture, Substance P
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