---
title: Why do women with IBS and fibromyalgia or PMDD have similar inflammation patterns?
description: Women with IBS who also have fibromyalgia, PMDD, or chronic fatigue have higher levels of inflammatory proteins in their blood than women with IBS alone.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/plasma-cytokine-profiles-in-females-with-irritable-bowel-syndrome-and-extra-2010/
---

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- Why do women with IBS and fibromyalgia or PMDD have similar inflammation patterns?

Study, 2010

# Why do women with IBS and fibromyalgia or PMDD have similar inflammation patterns?

Women with IBS who also have fibromyalgia, PMDD, or chronic fatigue have higher levels of inflammatory proteins in their blood than women with IBS alone.

 Moderate study design

100 women with IBS and fibromyalgia, PMDD, or chronic fatigue; 21 with IBS only; 54 healthy age-matched controls

## What they did

Measured inflammatory proteins in blood from 100 women with IBS plus fibromyalgia, PMDD, or chronic fatigue; 21 women with IBS only; and 54 healthy women the same age.

## What they found

All women with IBS had increased levels of two inflammatory proteins (IL-6 and IL-8). The 100 women with IBS plus the other conditions had additional increases in two more inflammatory proteins (IL-1β and TNF-α). The pattern of inflammation did not differ based on which co-condition a woman had.

## What it means for you

Women with IBS who also have other conditions seem to have a stronger inflammatory response in their blood than those with IBS alone. This might suggest these conditions share biological mechanisms. This was a single measurement in time, so it cannot show whether inflammation causes the symptoms.

100

women with IBS and fibromyalgia, PMDD, or chronic fatigue

21

women with IBS only

54

healthy controls

## About the study

Original title Plasma cytokine profiles in females with irritable bowel syndrome and extra-intestinal co-morbidity Authors Scully P, McKernan DP, Keohane J et al. Journal The American journal of gastroenterology Year 2010 Study design Study Participants 100 What was tested None - observational measurement of blood inflammation Read the paper [doi.org/10.1038/ajg.2010.159](https://doi.org/10.1038/ajg.2010.159)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Irritability and anger](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-irritability-anger/)[Fatigue and energy](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-fatigue/)[IBS and gut symptoms](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-ibs-gi/)[Chronic pain and fibromyalgia](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-chronic-pain/)

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Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor.

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