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Insulin resistance possible risk factor for cognitive impairment in fibromialgic patients

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Abstract

To evaluate glucose metabolism and/or insulin resistance (IR) in 96 patients with Fibromyalgia (FM), associated or not to cognitive impairment. We investigated glucose metabolism in 96 FM patients. Enrolled patients were divided into two groups: 48 patients with memory deficit (group A) and 48 without memory deficit (control group). We evaluated glucose and insulin levels after a 2 h-Oral-Glucose-Tolerance-Test (2 h-OGTT) and insulin resistance (IR) by the homeostasis model assessment formula (HOMA). Body Mass Index (BMI), waist-to-hip-ratio (WHR), anxiety level, fasting plasma insulin and Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory agents use were higher in patients with FM with memory impairment; while age, sex, waist circumference, education level, fasting plasma glucose, glycate hemoglobin, triglycerides, blood lipid profile, C- Reactivity-Protein (CRP), blood pressure and smoking habits were similar in both groups. Following OGTT the prevalence of glucose metabolism abnormalities was significantly higher in group A. IR was present in 79 % patients, of whom 23 % had also impaired glucose tolerance, 4 % newly diagnosed diabetes mellitus and 52 % IR only. Obesity and overweight prevailed in group A. IR, but not BMI or WHR was associated to an increased risk of memory impairment (OR = 2,6; 95 % CI: 1,22–3,7). The results of this study suggest that IR may represent a risk factor for memory impairment in fibromialgic patients.

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Abbreviations

NGM:

Normal Glucose Metabolism

IGT:

Impaired Glucose Tolerance

NDDM:

Newly Diagnosed Diabetes Mellitus

IR:

Insulin Resistance

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Disclosure

All authors have declared “no conflict of interest”.

Author roles

Fava Antonietta and Bosco Domenico: design, conduct of the study, data collection, analysis; Massimiliano Plastino, Dario Cristiano, Domenico Pirritano: conduct of the study, data collection; Antonio Spanò, Carlo Opipari, Stefano Cristofaro, Antonio Chillà, Matteo De Bartolo: data collection; Fatima Casalinuovo and Carmen Colica: data collection and analysis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Endocrinology, Fondazione UALSI, Catanzaro, 88100, Italy

    Antonietta Fava

  2. Department of Neuroscience, “S. Giovanni di Dio” Hospital, Largo Bologna, 88900, Crotone, Italy

    Massimiliano Plastino, Dario Cristiano, Antonio Spanò, Stefano Cristofaro, Carlo Opipari, Fatima Casalinuovo, Domenico Pirritano & Domenico Bosco

  3. Department of Psychiatry, “S. Giovanni di Dio” Hospital, 88900, Crotone, Italy

    Antonio Chillà

  4. National Research Council, Roccelletta di Borgia, 88100, Catanzaro, Italy

    Carmen Colica

  5. Neurophysiology Unit, Hospital - Rossano, Rossano, 80068, Italy

    Matteo De Bartolo

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  1. Antonietta Fava
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  2. Massimiliano Plastino
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  4. Antonio Spanò
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  6. Carlo Opipari
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  8. Fatima Casalinuovo
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  9. Carmen Colica
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  10. Matteo De Bartolo
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  11. Domenico Pirritano
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  12. Domenico Bosco
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Correspondence to Domenico Bosco.

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Fava, A., Plastino, M., Cristiano, D. et al. Insulin resistance possible risk factor for cognitive impairment in fibromialgic patients. Metab Brain Dis 28, 619–627 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11011-013-9421-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11011-013-9421-3

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