Research
FibroIreland has supported several research projects and hopes to see the development of a patient registry for the Republic of Ireland. A patient registry is a collection (for one or more purposes) of standardised information about a group of patients who share a condition or experience. One of the current blocks to more research on fibromyalgia happening, is that there is no patient registry in the Republic of Ireland.
WE AIM TO:
- Support the development of a patient registry for FM in the Republic of Ireland
- Document better treatment options for FM
- Create opportunities for patients, researchers and doctors to work together
Promising Research
Perhaps the most exciting research in recent years involved Andreas Goebel Director of the Pain Research Institute in the University of Liverpool.
The King’s-led study, in collaboration with the University of Liverpool and the Karolinska Institute, shows that many of the symptoms in fibromyalgia syndrome are caused by antibodies increasing the activity of pain-sensing nerves.
“The implications of this study are profound. Establishing that fibromyalgia is an autoimmune disorder will transform how we view the condition and should pave the way for more effective treatments for the millions of people affected. Our work has uncovered a whole new area of therapeutic options and should give real hope to fibromyalgia patients. Previous exploration of therapies has been hampered by our limited understanding of the illness. This should now change. Treatment for FMS is focussed on gentle aerobic exercises, as well as drug and psychological therapies designed to manage pain, although these have proven ineffective in most patients and have left behind an enormous unmet clinical need”– Dr David Andersson, study primary investigator, King’s College London
https://www.kcl.ac.uk/news/new-study-shows-fibromyalgia-likely-the-result-of-autoimmune-problems