Metabolomics analysis of plasma samples of patients with fibromyalgia and electromagnetic sensitivity using GC-MS technique

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic and systemic condition that causes widespread chronic pain, asthenia, and muscle stiffness, as well as in some cases depression, anxiety, and disorders of the autonomic system. The exact causes that lead to the development of FM are still unknown today. In a percentage of individuals, the symptoms of FM are often triggered and/or exacerbated by proximity to electrical and electromagnetic devices. Plasma metabolomic profile of 54 patients with fibromyalgia and self-reported electromagnetic sensitivity (IEI-EMF) were compared to 23 healthy subjects using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) coupled with multivariate statistical analysis techniques. Before the GC-MS analysis the plasma samples were extracted with a modified Folch method and then derivatized with methoxamine hydrochloride in pyridine solution and N-trimethylsilyltrifuoroacetamide. The combined analysis allowed to identify a metabolomic profile able of distinguishing IEI-EMF patients and healthy subjects. IEI-EMF patients were therefore characterized by the alteration of 19 metabolites involved in different metabolic pathways such as energy metabolism, muscle, and pathways related to oxidative stress defense and chronic pain. The results obtained in this study complete the metabolomic picture previously investigated on the same cohort of IEI-EMF patients with H-1-NMR spectroscopy, placing a further piece for better understanding the pathophysiological mechanisms in patients with IEI-EMF.

Automated summary

Fibromyalgia is a chronic systemic condition characterized by widespread pain, fatigue, and muscle stiffness, and in some cases, coexisting depression, anxiety, and autonomic dysfunctions. This study investigated the plasma metabolomic profile of patients with fibromyalgia and self-reported electromagnetic sensitivity, and identified 19 metabolites related to energy metabolism, muscle function, oxidative stress defense, and chronic pain that differentiate these patients from healthy subjects.