People with fibromyalgia have a different gut microbiome than others.
Worldwide, between 2 and 4% of the population is said to be affected by fibromyalgia, a chronic pain syndrome that affects both sides of the spine and often leads to muscle stiffness. In addition to physical pain, patients suffer from sleep disturbances and permanent fatigue, which greatly affects their concentration and therefore their quality of life.
If this disease has been widely publicized since Lady Gaga has revealed that she has it two years ago, its origin remains unclear, which makes it very difficult to diagnose. However, researchers have now taken a new step in understanding this affliction. According to a Canadian study published in June in the journal BREADthe intestinal microbiome of patients would be different from that of others.
To come to this conclusion, the researchers studied 77 women with fibromyalgia and 79 other participants. By analyzing extracts of their DNA, “we discovered that fibromyalgia and its symptoms contribute more than any other factor to the variations we observe in the microbiome of patients”, explains the study’s lead author, Amir Minerbi of McGill University. “We also see that the severity of patient symptoms is directly correlated with an increased presence or a pronounced absence of certain bacteria. Something that had never been reported before,” he says.
Thus, if the researchers observed the same population and diversity of bacteria in the intestinal microbiome of all the participants, their levels differed depending on whether they were sick or not. In detail, 19 different species of bacteria, several of which are already associated with intestinal problems such as inflammatory reactions, were discovered in greater or lesser quantities in patients.
Machine learning to diagnose disease
Scientists still do not know whether the changes in gut bacteria are induced by the disease or, on the contrary, cause it. However, establishing the composition of the gut microbiome is an important step in understanding the disease. “We used a range of techniques, including artificial intelligence, to confirm that the observed changes in the microbiomes of fibromyalgia patients were not driven by factors such as diet, medication, activity physical or even age”, specifies Minerbi who will now try to understand if these modifications have an impact on chronic pain.
In this study, machine learning correctly diagnosed fibromyalgia in 87% of cases. Very interesting given that today there is no examination to identify the disease. The diagnosis is made from symptoms reported by the patient himself.
“The diagnosis is made by elimination and it is very important that it be well done, firstly so as not to miss another well-identified disease, and then to believe the patient and be able to answer his questions about the fibromyalgia, soothe it as much as possible-which is not easy since we explain to him that currently we know very little about taking care of this disease”, explains the association Fibromyalgia France to the site Handdirect.
The benefits of physical activity
Currently, in addition to drug treatments, patients are sometimes offered therapeutic education programs to help them manage fibromyalgia and the stress it causes. Moreover, “it is recognized that physical activity is the best support for fibromyalgia. We are not necessarily talking about sport, but above all about movements and then soft activities for those who wish (Tai chi, Qikong…). It would seem that when we occupy the brain with physical activity, it will somehow turn away from the pain, fix the attention on the activity and make the pain give way little by little”, explains Fibromyalgie France, also evoking the usefulness of thermal cures to relieve the sick, which are however often very expensive and poorly reimbursed.
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