title: Influence of cortisol and DHEA-S on pain and other symptoms in post menopausal women with fibromyalgia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to assess cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) levels in post-menopausal women with FMS and correlate it with pain threshold and tolerance, depression and quality of life.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a cross sectional observational study of 17 women with FMS (FMS group), and 19 healthy volunteers (CT group). Algometry, the Beck Depression Index (BDI) and Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) were used. Blood samples were collected in the morning (8:00-9:30 am) to determine cortisol and DHEA-S plasmatic levels by chemiluminescence.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant differences between groups were recorded for pain threshold and tolerance (p< 0.0001), BDI (p< 0.0001) and all FIQ parameters (p< 0.0001). No significant differences in cortisol levels were found between the two groups (p=0.325). In the FMS group, a tangential effect was observed for DHEA-S (p=0.094) and positive correlations were found between DHEA-S, pain threshold (p=0.017) and pain tolerance (p=0.044). No correlation was observed between cortisol and DHEA-S levels and the variables of depression and quality of life for either group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There seems to be an influence of the decreased levels of DHEA-S and increased pain sensitivity in post-menopausal women with FMS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Graduate Program in Psychobiology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil. rodrigopegado@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Rodrigo Pegado de Abreu
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Freitas
authors.forename: Telma Maria Araújo Moura
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Lemos
authors.forename: Maria Helena Constantino
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Spyrides
authors.forename: Maria Bernardete Cordeiro de
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Sousa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000097:blood*; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D049449:Luminescence; D008875:Middle Aged; D017288:Pain Threshold / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000097:blood*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D006854:Hydrocortisone