Fibromyalgia: one year in review 2023

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic syn-drome characterised by widespread pain that affects millions of people worldwide. This article discusses vari-ous aspects of FM described in scientif-ic papers published in 2022 and indexed in the PubMed database, including the most recent diagnostic acquisitions (es-pecially in relation to the juvenile form of FM), risk factors, co-morbidities and objective measures. Emphasis is placed on the importance of identify-ing FM early and improving diagnostic methods (e.g. physical measurements, including walking test performance, hand grip force, and autonomic tests). The article also considers hypotheses concerning the pathophysiology of FM, including the role of inflammation, gut dysbiosis, and neuroinflammation, and possible treatment options, including medications such as antioxidants and kinin antagonists, neurostimulation, and mind-body interventions. Although ketamine, vitamin D, and hormone therapy have shown promise in reduc-ing FM symptoms, further research is needed to optimise their use. Neuro-stimulation techniques, such as trans -cutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, transcranial direct-current stimulation and transcranial magnetic stimulation, have been investigated in terms of their efficacy in reducing pain and improving the quality of life. Finally, the role of nutrition is discussed as study findings suggest that weight control, modified high-antioxidant diets, and nutritional supplementation can help to alleviate the symptoms of FM.