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In the Los Angeles area, biomedical researchers at the City of Hope National Medical Center are embarking on a three-year investigation involving selected patients of Fibromyalgia specialist R. Paul St. Amand, MD – developer of the “Guaifenesin Protocol.”™ The research (listed as study # 80703 at CenterWatch.com) addresses the theory that FM may be triggered by trauma or chronic infection that causes changes in a “family of genes” now known to be associated with prolonged inflammation.

The City of Hope site provides the following summary of the study (italics ours) at http://clinicaltrials.coh.org/study_display.aspx?pid=3715518

RESEARCH STUDY SUMMARY
Title: “Immunological and Genetic Analysis of Autoinflammatory Genes In Fibromyalgia” CenterWatch

Patients eligible to participate in this study will be asked to consider a research consent form which includes the following information:

Purpose of the Study:
You have/your child has been asked to participate in this research study because you have/your child has been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS) or are the parents of someone diagnosed with Fibromyalgia.

n The purpose of this study is to compare the blood of subjects with FMS to the blood of subjects without FMS in terms of autoinflammatory genes (an inflammatory response in the absence of an obvious infection) and response to inflammatory stimuli.

n Another purpose is to determine if there are polymorphisms (different forms) of the autoinflammatory genes.

n Another purpose is to look for relationships between FMS and immunological and genetic data. Your/your child's participation in this study is expected to last 3 years.

Background:
Many of the symptoms of Fibromylagia can be explained by the presence of a chronic inflammatory condition. A family of genes has been identified that are associated with prolonged inflammatory conditions. It is possible that changes in these genes, triggered by a physical trauma or chronic (long-lasting) infection, may cause autoinflammatory disease.

So far studies of these genes have helped determine the genetic origin of several related diseases such as Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF), but this type of analysis has not been applied to FMS. If a relationship is found between these genes, changes in these genes, and FMS, new approaches to the treatment of FMS may be possible.

* See “The Guaifenesin Story: A centuries-old bark extract used for clearing the airways – now key to a popular FM symptom-reversal protocol,” at http://www.immunesupport.com/library/showarticle.cfm/id/7244 ; and for details about Dr. St. Amand’s Fibromyalgia Treatment Center and the Guaifenesin Protocol, go to http://www.fibromyalgiatreatment.com/