PRIMARY FIBROMYALGIA: CLINICAL PARAMETERS IN RELATION TO SERUM PROCOLLAGEN TYPE III AMINOTERMINAL PEPTIDE

Serum concentrations of procollagen type III aminoterminal peptidehave previously been reported to be low in some patients withprimary fibromyalgia and the aim of this study was to determineif such patients differ clinically from primary fibromyalgiapatients with normal levels of procollagen type III aminoterminalpeptide Subjective symptoms, tender points and dynamic muscle strengthin 45 women with primary fibromyalgia were related to serumconcentrations of procollagen type III aminoterminal peptide Patients with low serum concentrations of procollagen type IIIaminoterminal peptide had more symptoms, a higher frequencyof tender points and lesser quality of sleep compared to patientswith normal serum concentrations of procollagen type III aminoterminalpeptide (P0·05). They also had a lower dynamic musclestrength (P0·0005) We conclude that the serum concentrations of procollagen typeIII aminoterminal peptide of primary fibromyalgia patients areconnected to the disease impact KEY WORDS: Primary fibromyalgia, Fibrositis, Procollagen type III aminoterminal peptide, Muscle function, Sleep disturbance