Small fibre pathology, small fibre symptoms and pain in fibromyalgia syndrome



Marshall, Anne, Rapteas, Leandros, Burgess, Jamie, Riley, David, Anson, Matthew, Matsumoto, Kohei, Bennett, Amanda, Kaye, Stephen, Marshall, Andrew ORCID: 0000-0001-8273-7089, Dunham, James
et al (show 8 more authors) (2024) Small fibre pathology, small fibre symptoms and pain in fibromyalgia syndrome. Scientific Reports, 14 (1). 3947-.

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Abstract

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>A proportion of people with fibromyalgia demonstrate small fibre pathology (SFP). However, it is unclear how SFP directly relates to pain phenomenology. Thirty-three individuals with FMS and ten healthy volunteers underwent assessment of SFP and sensory phenotyping using corneal confocal microscopy, validated questionnaires and quantitative sensory testing (QST). Corneal nerve fibre length was used to stratify participants with fibromyalgia into with SFP [SFP+] and without SFP [SFP−]. SFP was detected in 50% of the fibromyalgia cohort. Current pain score and QST parameters did not differ between SFP+ and SFP−. Mechanical pain sensitivity (MPS) demonstrated a significant gain-of-function in the SFP− cohort compared to healthy-volunteers (p = 0.014, F = 4.806, η<jats:sup>2</jats:sup> = 0.22). Further stratification revealed a cohort without structural SFP but with symptoms compatible with small fibre neuropathy symptoms and a significant gain in function in MPS (p = 0.020 Chi-square). Additionally, this cohort reported higher scores for both depression (p = 0.039, H = 8.483, η<jats:sup>2</jats:sup> = 0.312) and anxiety (p = 0.022, F = 3.587, η<jats:sup>2</jats:sup> = 0.293). This study confirms that SFP is present in a proportion of people with fibromyalgia. We also show that in a proportion of people with fibromyalgia, small fibre neuropathy symptoms are present in the absence of structural SFP. Greater mechanical pain sensitivity, depression and anxiety are seen in these individuals.</jats:p>

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: Nerve Fibers, Humans, Fibromyalgia, Pain, Pain Threshold, Small Fiber Neuropathy
Divisions: Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
Faculty of Health and Life Sciences > Institute of Life Courses and Medical Sciences
Depositing User: Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited: 26 Feb 2024 09:23
Last Modified: 27 Feb 2024 14:37
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-54365-6
Open Access URL: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-54365-6
Related URLs:
URI: https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3178862