SynthesisPloS one2023
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor in fibromyalgia: A systematic review and meta-analysis of its role as a potential biomarker.
Synthesis in PloS one, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
16 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 21 citations in OpenAlex.
- Sexually Dimorphic Neuroimmune Pathways in Chronic Pain: A Comprehensive Systematic Review of Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms.Biomolecules · 2026Pooled it
- Aerobic Exercise Prescription for Pain Reduction in Fibromyalgia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.European journal of pain (London, England) · 2025Pooled it
- Diagnostic Accuracy of Breath Tests to Detect Pulmonary Tuberculosis: A Systematic Review.Lung · 2025Pooled it
- Clinical, neurophysiological and neurochemical effects of non-invasive electrical brain stimulation in fibromyalgia syndrome-a systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in pain research (Lausanne, Switzerland) · 2025Pooled it
- Circulating brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels and heart failure: A systematic review and meta-analysis.ESC heart failure · 2024Pooled it
- Cortical excitability and analgesic effects of multisite transcranial direct current stimulation targeting the motor cortex and cerebellum in fibromyalgia.Scientific reports · 2025Trial
- BDNF and IL-33 Dynamics in an Ultrasound Stress Model of Fibromyalgia-like Phenotypes.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Article
- Psychedelic Therapies for Comorbid Major Depressive Disorder and Chronic Pain: A Review of Putative Mechanisms of Action.Pharmacology research & perspectives · 2026Review
- Nociplastic pain: the prominent role of non-neuronal cells in central and peripheral sensitization.Frontiers in immunology · 2026Review
- Possible Interaction of Suramin with Thalamic P2X Receptors and NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation Alleviates Reserpine-Induced Fibromyalgia-Like Symptoms.Journal of neuroimmune pharmacology : the official journal of the Society on NeuroImmune Pharmacology · 2025Article
- Role of Serum Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor as a Biomarker of Chronic Pain in Older Adults.European journal of pain (London, England) · 2025Observational
- Neuroinflammatory and Immunological Aspects of Fibromyalgia.Brain sciences · 2025Review
- Pain Neuroscience Education Reduces Pain and Improves Psychological Variables but Does Not Induce Plastic Changes Measured by Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF): A Randomized Double-Blind Clinical Trial.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Fibromyalgia: A Review of the Pathophysiological Mechanisms and Multidisciplinary Treatment Strategies.Biomedicines · 2024Review
- Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor, Nociception, and Pain.Biomolecules · 2024Review
- Aquatic Exercise in Physical Therapy Treatment for Fibromyalgia: Systematic Review.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundFibromyalgia (FM) is a form of chronic pain disorder accompanied by several tender points, fatigue, sleeping and mood disturbances, cognitive dysfunction, and memory problems. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is also a mediator of neurotrophin for many activity-dependent processes in the brain. Despite numerous research studies investigating BDNF in FM, contradictory results have been reported. Thus, we investigated the overall effect shown by studies to find the association between peripheral BDNF concentrations and its gene polymorphisms with FM.
methodsA systematic search in online international databases, including PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, the Web of Science, and Scopus was performed. Relevant studies assessing BDNF levels or gene polymorphism in patients with FM and comparing them with controls were included. Case reports, reviews, and non-English studies were excluded. We conducted the random-effect meta-analysis to estimate the pooled standardized mean difference (SMD) or odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI).
resultsTwenty studies were found to be included composed of 1,206 FM patients and 1,027 controls. The meta-analysis of 15 studies indicated that the circulating BDNF levels were significantly higher in FM (SMD 0.72, 95% CI 0.12 to 1.31; p-value = 0.02). However, no difference between the rate of Val/Met carrier status at the rs6265 site was found (p-value = 0.43). Using meta-regression, the sample size and age variables accounted for 4.69% and 6.90% of the observed heterogeneity of BDNF level analysis, respectively.
conclusionOur meta-analysis demonstrated that FM is correlated with increased peripheral BDNF levels. This biomarker's diagnostic and prognostic value should be further investigated in future studies.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.