This is a review of recent studies recorded on PubMed. The focus is on new information – so studies reporting prior information will rarely be mentioned.

Fibromyalgia

• “The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently included a black box warning on fibromyalgia like symptoms with fluoroquinolones … The risk of fibromyalgia with FQs is similar to that with amoxicillin and azithromycin.” [2018]
  • Comment: Hints that fibromyalgia is a microbiome dysfunction with a similar shift as seen with the above antibiotics.
• Intestinal dysbiosis and hormonal neuroendocrine secretion in the fibromyalgic patient: Relationship and correlations.[2018]
• Is Fibromyalgia Risk Higher Among Male and Young Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients? Evidence from a Taiwan Cohort of One Million [2018].
  • the IBD patients had a greater FM risk
• Gray Matter Changes Following Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Patients With Comorbid Fibromyalgia and Insomnia: A Pilot Study. [2018]
  • “Our pilot study presents novel evidence suggesting that CBT-I may slow or reverse cortical gray matter atrophy in patients with fibromyalgia and insomnia.”
  • Reduction of gray matter is also seen with CFS, see this post. So we also see this with Fibromyalia.
  • Cerebral magnetic resonance changes associated with fibromyalgia syndrome. [2017]
    • “Modifications in gray and white matter volume, as well as in levels of N-acetylaspartate, choline or glutamate, among other metabolites, have been observed in the hippocampus, insula, prefrontal and cingular cortex. “
  • Gray matter abnormalities associated with fibromyalgia: A meta-analysis of voxel-based morphometric studies. [2016]
  • Reduced selective learning in patients with fibromyalgia vs healthy controls. [2018]
  • Cognitive Impairment in Fibromyalgia: A Meta-Analysis of Case-Control Studies [2018].
    • Cognitive impairment across different cognitive domains was found in individuals with fibromyalgia compared with healthy controls.
• Effects of vitamin D optimization on quality of life of patients with fibromyalgia: A randomized controlled trial [2018].
  • “This study suggests that vitamin D supplementation has significant therapeutic benefits in the management of FMS, especially in pain reduction of patients with fibromyalgia. According to our results, a combination of vitamin D supplements and a conventional antidepressant, when given to vitamin D-deficient fibromyalgia patients, could significantly improve both physical and psychological symptoms.”
• A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial to Explore Cognitive and Emotional Effects of Probiotics inFibromyalgia[2018].
  • Our results indicated that probiotics improved impulsivity and decision-making in these patients.
  • “Lactobacillus Rhamnosus GG^®, Lactobacillus Casei, Acidophilus, and Bifidobacterium Bifidus.”
  • Past studies suggest that Lactobacillus Casei Shirota (Yakult) may be the most significant one.
• Low-grade chronic inflammation mediated by mast cells in fibromyalgia: role of IL-37. [2018]
• Fibromyalgia and Risk of Dementia-A Nationwide, Population-Based, Cohort Study [2018].
  • “The study subjects with fibromyalgia had a 2.77-fold risk of dementia in comparison to the control group.”
• Systematic analysis of the cerebrospinal fluid proteome of fibromyalgia patients [2018].
  • “Four proteins, important to discriminate FM patients from non-pain controls, were found: Apolipoprotein C-III, Galectin-3-binding protein, Malate dehydrogenase cytoplasmic and the neuropeptide precursor protein ProSAAS. These proteins are involved in lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity, inflammatory signaling, energy metabolism and neuropeptide signaling.”
• Evidence-Based Non-Pharmacological Therapies for Fibromyalgia. [2018]
  • “No particular diet is found to have a meaningful impact in FM”
  • “Current literature does not support the routine use of acupuncture for improving pain or quality of life in FM; however, given its benign side effect profile, it should not be discouraged”

Bottom Line

We continue to lack any significant studies on microbiome shifts for FM. A microbiome dysbiosis model fits well — including the increased risk of progression into dementia (which have greater dysbiosis). L. Casei and Vitamin D are both known modifiers of the microbiome.