With the help of Marshfield Clinic’s Personalized Medicine Research Project (PMRP) biobank, researcher Jonathan Reeser, M.D., Ph.D., and his team have gained a foothold in understanding the genetics of fibromyalgia, a chronic pain syndrome that is difficult to diagnose and treat. It affects millions of people in the United States, mainly women.
The study looked at associations between the Apo E4 gene and selected environmental exposures among 151 study participants diagnosed with fibromyalgia syndrome, compared with a control group of 300 age- and gender-matched study participants.
Results from this study suggest that specific interactions between genetically susceptible individuals (those with at least one copy of the Apo E4 gene) and the environment (such as involvement in a motor vehicle crash) may contribute to the risk of being diagnosed with fibromyalgia.
The Apo E4 gene is thought to play an important role in central nervous system function.
Fibromyalgia is a diagnosis of exclusion –other conditions that could cause similar symptoms must be ruled out before the diagnosis of fibromyalgia can be made with confidence. As a result, patients often experience frustrating delays in understanding of the cause of their perplexing list of symptoms.
“Perhaps someday this line of investigation will result in development of new laboratory- based tests that will permit a faster and more accurate diagnosis of fibromyalgia,” Dr. Reeser said. "However, more work needs to be done.”
