A blinded study of antibodies to viral infections in patients suffering from fibromyalgia and age- and sex-matched healthy controls - B. K. Puri & J. A. Monro
Background
Evidence has suggested the possibility that viral infections may be responsible for the pain associated with fibromyalgia (see, for example, Sprott, 2011).
Aim
We wish to test the hypothesis that fibromyalgia may be associated with latent viral infection.
Methods
Blood samples will be collected from 26 patients fulfilling the 1990 American College of Rheumatology criteria for fibromyalgia (Wolfe et al., 1990) and from 26 age- and sex-matched healthy control volunteers. The samples will be anonymised and tested by a laboratory which is blind to group allocation for an extensive range of viral antibodies.
Costings
The total grant support requested for this innovative study is £26,000.
References
Sprott H. Is fibromyalgia a viral disease? Z Rheumatol 2011;70:637-638.
Wolfe F, Smythe HA, Yunus MB, Bennett RM, Bombardier C, Goldenberg DL, Tugwell P, Campbell SM, Abeles M, Clark P, et al. The American College of Rheumatology 1990 Criteria for the Classification of Fibromyalgia. Report of the Multicenter Criteria Committee. Arthritis Rheum 1990;33:160-172.
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