Effects of 15 weeks of resistance exercise on pro-inflammatory cytokine levels in the vastus lateralis muscle of patients with fibromyalgia.
This study aimed at investigating the effect of a resistance exercise intervention on the interstitial muscle levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in fibromyalgia (FMS) and healthy controls (CON).



Twenty-four female patients with FMS (54 ± 8 years) and 27 female CON (54 ± 9 years) were subjected to intramuscular microdialysis of the most painful vastus lateralis muscle before and after 15 weeks of progressive resistance exercise twice per week. Baseline dialysates were sampled in the resting muscle 140 min after insertion of the microdialysis catheter. The participants then performed repetitive dynamic contractions (knee extension) for 20 min, followed by 60 min rest. Pain intensity was assessed with a 0-100 mm visual analogue scale (VAS), and fatigue was assessed with Borg's RPE throughout microdialysis. Dialysates were sampled every 20 min and analyzed with Luminex for interleukin (IL)-1β, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha, IL-6, and IL-8.



At both sessions and for both groups the dynamic contractions increased pain (P < 0.012) and fatigue (P < 0.001). The levels of TNF were lower in the FMS group than the CON group at both sessions (P < 0.05), but none of the other cytokines differed between the groups. IL-6 and IL-8 increased after the dynamic contractions in both groups (P < 0.010), while TNF increased only in CON (P < 0.05) and IL-1β did not change. Overall pain intensity was reduced after the 15 weeks of resistance exercise in FMS (P < 0.05), but there was no changes in fatigue or cytokine levels.



Progressive resistance exercise for 15 weeks did not affect the interstitial levels of IL-1β, TNF, IL-6, and IL-8 in the vastus lateralis muscle of FMS patients or CON.



Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01226784 , registered 21 October 2010.
Department of Dental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, and Scandinavian Center for Orofacial Neurosciences (SCON), SE-141 04, Huddinge, Sweden. malin.ernberg@ki.se.
Malin
M
Ernberg
Department of Dental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, and Scandinavian Center for Orofacial Neurosciences (SCON), SE-141 04, Huddinge, Sweden.
Nikolaos
N
Christidis
Pain and Rehabilitation Centre, and Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Linköping University, SE-581 85, Linköping, Sweden.
Bijar
B
Ghafouri
Department of Clinical Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, and Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Danderyd Hospital, SE-182 88, Stockholm, Sweden.
Indre
I
Bileviciute-Ljungar
Department of Clinical Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, and Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Danderyd Hospital, SE-182 88, Stockholm, Sweden.
Monika
M
Löfgren
Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Section of Health and Rehabilitation, Physiotherapy, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE-405 30, Göteborg, Sweden.|University of Gothenburg Centre for Person-centred Care (GPCC), Sahlgrenska Academy, SE-405 30, Göteborg, Sweden.
Anette
A
Larsson
Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Section of Health and Rehabilitation, Physiotherapy, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE-405 30, Göteborg, Sweden.
Annie
A
Palstam
Department of Rheumatology and Inflammation Research, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE-405 30, Göteborg, Sweden.
Jan
J
Bjersing
Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Section of Health and Rehabilitation, Physiotherapy, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE-405 30, Göteborg, Sweden.|University of Gothenburg Centre for Person-centred Care (GPCC), Sahlgrenska Academy, SE-405 30, Göteborg, Sweden.
Kaisa
K
Mannerkorpi
Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77, Stockholm, Sweden.|Stockholm Spine Center, SE-194 89, Stockholm, Sweden.
Eva
E
Kosek
Pain and Rehabilitation Centre, and Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Linköping University, SE-581 85, Linköping, Sweden.
Björn
B
Gerdle
D000328:Adult; D016207:Cytokines / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology; D017551:Microdialysis; D008875:Middle Aged; D052097:Quadriceps Muscle / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D055070:Resistance Training / Q000379:methods*
D016207:Cytokines
Cytokines; Dynamic contractions; Exercise; Fibromyalgia; Microdialysis; Quadriceps