Thesis An analysis of electrolyte and mineral values in patients with Fibromyalgia and CFS compared to healthy controls, 2025, Fagerberg

https://ntnuopen.ntnu.no/ntnu-xmlui/handle/11250/3189293

An analysis of electrolyte and mineral values in patients with Fibromyalgia and CFS compared to healthy controls

Fagerberg, Helene Therese Kvakestad
Master thesis

URI
https://hdl.handle.net/11250/3189293
Date
2025
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• Fakultet for medisin og helsevitenskap (uspesifisert) [976]

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Abstract


Fibromyalgia (FM) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) are two syndromes characterized by pain and fatigue, respectively. The syndromes both lack curative and preventive treatments, and the pathogenesis is not yet fully understood. In this article we will examine the possible involvement of different electrolytes in the syndromes.




The study population consisted of 160 women between 18 and 60 years divided into three groups: CFS (49), fibromyalgia (58) and healthy controls (53). The plasma levels of magnesium, calcium, sodium, potassium and albumin were analysed. The results were compared between groups using Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn’s test. Spearman’s rho was used to test for correlations between the electrolyte levels and different variables, including age, body mass index (BMI), high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), total fatigue score, fibromyalgia severity score, Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) for current perceived pain, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Score (HADS score).




Calcium levels in fibromyalgia patients were significantly higher than in the control group and remained significant even when adjusting for calcium binding to albumin. The calcium levels in fibromyalgia patients were not significantly higher compared to the CFS group. Higher calcium levels also correlated with higher hsCRP, total fatigue score, fibromyalgia severity score, HADS total score, HADS depression score and HADS anxiety score.




In conclusion, in our material calcium levels is higher in patients with fibromyalgia compared to healthy controls and correlates with several symptom scores. Our research did not account for dietary supplements and further research is needed to validate our finding.

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Fibromyalgi og kronisk utmattelsessyndrom (CFS) er to syndromer karakterisert av henholdsvis smerte og utmattelse. Begge syndromene mangler kurative og preventive behandlingsalternativer, og patogenesen er ennå ikke kartlagt. I denne artikkelen vil vi se nærmere på noen elektrolytter og mineraler og deres mulige involvering i syndromene.




Studiepopulasjonene bestod av 160 kvinner mellom 18 og 60 år, fordelt i tre grupper: CFS (49), fibromyalgi (58) og friske kontroller (53). Magnesium, kalsium, natrium, kalium og albumin i plasma ble analysert, og resultatene ble sammenlignet mellom gruppene ved hjelp av Kruskal-Wallis og Dunns test. Spearmans rho ble brukt til å se på korrelasjon mellom elektrolytt nivåene og følgende ulike variabler: alder, kroppsmasseindeks (BMI), high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), total utmattelsesscore, fibromyalgiscore, Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) for opplevd smerte, og Hospital Anxiety and Depression Score (HADS score) for depresjon og angst.




Kalsiumnivåene hos pasientene med fibromyalgi var signifikant høyere enn nivåene i kontrollgruppen, også etter justering for binding til albumin, men nivåene var ikke signifikant høyere sammenlignet med CFS gruppen. I tillegg ble det funnet at høyere nivåer av kalsium korrelerte med høyere hsCRP, utmattelsesscore, fibromyalgiscore, NRS, HADS totalscore, HADS depresjonsscore and HADS angstscore.




Vi konkluderer med at kalsium nivåer hos pasienter med fibromyalgi er høyere enn hos friske kontroller og korrelerer med flere symptomscorer for fibromyalgi og CFS. Resultatene er ikke justert for kosttilskudd og videre forskning på dette er nødvendig for å validere våre funn.


Publisher
NTNU

 

That’s not a good start.

I don’t understand why they did not account for supplement. It would have been an easy questionnaire to add given how many they already had to answer.

I guess this was mostly an exercise in using the lab and running some statistical analyses?

 

Calcium levels, why? What's the hypothesis with the development and maintenance of allodynia, or is it just a shot in the mineral dark room?

And so irrelevant that the higher levels "corresponded" with higher levels of depression and anxiety.