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. 2022 Jul;41(7):2171-2178.
doi: 10.1007/s10067-022-06133-y. Epub 2022 Mar 28.

Gender influence on clinical manifestations, depressive symptoms and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) serum levels in patients affected by fibromyalgia

Cristina Iannuccelli #  1 , Bruno Lucchino #  1 , Chiara Gioia  1 , Giulio Dolcini  1 , Jole Rabasco  2 , Teresa Venditto  2 , Francesco Ioppolo  3 , Valter Santilli  3 , Fabrizio Conti  1 , Manuela Di Franco  4
Affiliations

Gender influence on clinical manifestations, depressive symptoms and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) serum levels in patients affected by fibromyalgia

Cristina Iannuccelli et al. Clin Rheumatol. 2022 Jul.

Abstract

Introduction: OBJECTIVES: Fibromyalgia (FM) is a common rheumatic disorder characterized by chronic, widespread pain associated with several not painful symptoms. The contribution of gender to the manifestation of the disease may influence the higher prevalence of FM among women. In spite of this, how patients' gender influences the clinical manifestation of FM is still not well understood. The frequent association with neuropsychiatric symptoms raised the attention on the role of neurotrophins, including the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) as potential biomarkers of the condition. Aims of the study were to evaluate the influence of gender on clinical manifestations and to investigate BDNF serum levels as a potential biomarker of FM.

Methods: We consecutively enrolled 201 adult patients of both sexes diagnosed with FM. For each patient, we collected clinical and clinimetric data and, in a subgroup of 40 patients, we measured serum BDNF levels. BDNF levels have been measured also in 40 matched healthy controls (HC).

Results: Several symptoms were significantly higher in women compared with men, including pain, fatigue, memory problems, tenderness, balance problems and sensitivity to environmental stimuli. On the contrary, men reported a significant higher frequency of coexisting depressive symptoms. BDNF levels were significantly lower in FM patients compared with HC, discriminating with good accuracy the condition.

Conclusion: Gender influences FM clinical manifestations, with a higher prevalence of pain, fatigue and other common FM symptoms among women while higher frequency of neuropsychiatric symptoms among men. BDNF offers promises as a potential biomarker of the disease. Key Points • Gender-related differences in the clinical manifestations of FM may contribute to the higher prevalence of FM among females. Indeed, women show higher levels of pain and symptoms traditionally associated to FM, which are evaluated to establish the diagnosis according to the clinical criteria. • The new insights into the pathogenesis of the disease raised the attention on the role of brain mediators in FM. Among these, BNDF shows potential as a diagnostic biomarker.

Keywords: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF); Fibromyalgia; Gender.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Frequency of coexisting depressive symptoms among males and females
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Comparison of BDNF between FM patients and HC and between female and male FM patients. ***p values < 0.0001
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of diagnostic performance of BDNF serum levels in the identification of FM patients
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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