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. 2024 Jun 21;24(1).
doi: 10.1515/sjpain-2024-0003. eCollection 2024 Jan 1.

Hypocapnia in women with fibromyalgia

Kent Jonsson  1   2 , Andreas Pikwer  3   4 , Erik M G Olsson  5 , Magnus Peterson  2   6
Affiliations
Free article

Hypocapnia in women with fibromyalgia

Kent Jonsson et al. Scand J Pain. .
Free article

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether people with fibromyalgia (FM) have dysfunctional breathing by examining acid-base balance and comparing it with healthy controls.

Methods: Thirty-six women diagnosed with FM and 36 healthy controls matched for age and gender participated in this cross-sectional study. To evaluate acid-base balance, arterial blood was sampled from the radial artery. Carbon dioxide, oxygen, bicarbonate, base excess, pH and lactate were analysed for between-group differences. Blood gas analyses were performed stepwise on each individual to detect acid-base disturbance, which was categorized as primary respiratory and possible compensation indicating chronicity. A three-step approach was employed to evaluate pH, carbon dioxide and bicarbonate in this order.

Results: Women with FM had significantly lower carbon dioxide pressure (p = 0.013) and higher lactate (p = 0.038) compared to healthy controls at the group level. There were no significant differences in oxygen pressure, bicarbonate, pH and base excess. Employing a three-step acid-base analysis, 11 individuals in the FM group had a possible renally compensated mild chronic hyperventilation, compared to only 4 among the healthy controls (p = 0.042).

Conclusions: In this study, we could identify a subgroup of individuals with FM who may be characterized as mild chronic hyperventilators. The results might point to a plausible dysfunctional breathing in some women with FM.

Keywords: acid; base balance; chronic hyperventilation; fibromyalgia; hypocapnia.

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