Researchers examined blood samples from each participant using a technique called vibrational spectroscopy, which measures the energy level of molecules within the sample. Scientists in Rodriguez-Saona’s lab detected clear patterns that consistently set fibromyalgia patients’ blood sample results apart from those with other, similar disorders.
First, the researchers analyzed blood samples from participants whose disease status they knew, so they could develop a baseline pattern for each diagnosis. Then, using two types of spectroscopy, they evaluated the rest of the samples blindly, without knowing the participants’ diagnoses, and accurately clustered every study participant into the appropriate disease category based on a molecular signature.
“These initial results are remarkable. If we can help speed diagnosis for these patients, their treatment will be better and they’ll likely have better outlooks. There’s nothing worse than being in a gray area where you don’t know what disease you have,” Rodriguez-Saona said.
His lab mostly concerns itself with using the metabolic fingerprinting technology for food-related research, focusing on issues such as adulteration of milk and cooking oils and helping agriculture companies figure out which plants are best suited to fight disease.
The chance to partner with medical experts to help solve the problem of fibromyalgia misdiagnosis was exciting, said Rodriguez-Saona, a professor of food science and technology at Ohio State.
Rodriguez-Saona said for the next study he’d like to examine 150 to 200 subjects per disease group to see if the findings of this research are replicable in a larger, more-diverse population.
Hackshaw said his goal is to have a test ready for widespread use within five years.
Fibromyalgia is the most common cause of chronic widespread pain in the United States, and disproportionately affects women. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that about 2 percent of the population – around 4 million adults – has fibromyalgia. Other organizations estimate even higher numbers.
About three in four people with fibromyalgia have not received an accurate diagnosis, according to previous research, and those who do know they have the disease waited an average of five years between symptom onset and diagnosis. Common symptoms include pain and stiffness all over the body, fatigue, depression, anxiety, sleep problems, headaches and problems with thinking, memory and concentration.
Eventually, this work could lead to identification of a particular protein or acid – or combination of molecules – that is linked to fibromyalgia, Rodriguez-Saona said.
“We can look back into some of these fingerprints and potentially identify some of the chemicals associated with the differences we are seeing,” he said.
In addition to identifying fibromyalgia, the researchers also found evidence that the metabolic fingerprinting technique has the potential to determine the severity of fibromyalgia in an individual patient.
“This could lead to better, more directed treatment for patients,” Hackshaw said.
Other Ohio State researchers involved with the study were Didem Aykas, Gregory Sigurdson, Marcal Plans Pujolras, Francesca Madiai, Lianbo Yu and Monica Giusti. Tony Buffington, formerly of Ohio State and now at the University of California, Davis, was also a co-author.
The research was supported in part by the Columbus Medical Research Foundation.