Platelet 3H-imipramine uptake receptor density and serum serotonin levels in patients with fibromyalgia/fibrositis syndrome
Russell, I.J.; Michalek, J.E.; Vipraio, G.A.; Fletcher, E.M.; Javors, M.A.; Bowden, C.A.
Journal of Rheumatology 19(1): 104-109
1992
ISSN/ISBN: 0315-162X PMID: 1313504 Document Number: 402820
The density of serotonin reuptake receptors on peripheral platelets from 22 patients with primary fibromyalgia syndrome (FS) and the serum serotonin concentrations in 9 patients with FS were compared with those of matched healthy controls. The mean serum serotonin concentration was lower (p = 0.01) in FS than in controls, while the binding of 3H-imipramine was higher (p = 0.035) and normalized with treatment using a combination of ibuprofen and alprazolam. Improvement in selected clinical measures of FS disease activity during treatment correlated with the change in platelet 3H-imipramine binding. These findings support the proposed hypothesis of aberrant pain perception in FS resulting from a deficiency of serotonin.