Rodriguez-Rodriguez, Luis, Ramón Lamas, Jose, Abásolo, Lydia et al. · Clinical and experimental rheumatology · 2015
This study examined whether genetic variations in a gene called TACR1 might affect which fibromyalgia patients develop dry mouth and eyes (sicca syndrome). Researchers tested 564 fibromyalgia patients for specific genetic markers and then checked their findings in a second group of 397 patients. They found that people carrying a particular genetic variant had lower chances of developing sicca syndrome alongside their fibromyalgia.
While this study focuses on fibromyalgia, understanding genetic factors that protect against or increase risk for specific co-occurring conditions like sicca syndrome is relevant to ME/CFS, which shares overlapping symptoms and genetic susceptibility. This work contributes to growing evidence that symptom clustering in chronic pain and fatigue conditions has genetic underpinnings, potentially opening pathways for personalized management strategies.
This study does not prove that TACR1 causes sicca syndrome or that the genetic variant itself prevents it—correlation does not establish causation. It also does not determine whether this association applies to ME/CFS populations or other chronic conditions, as the findings are specific to fibromyalgia patients in the studied cohorts. The study does not clarify the biological mechanism by which this genetic variant might exert a protective effect.
About the PEM badge: “PEM required” means post-exertional malaise was an explicit required diagnostic criterion for participant inclusion in this study — not that PEM was studied, observed, or discussed. Studies using criteria that do not require PEM (e.g. Fukuda, Oxford) are tagged “PEM not required”. How the atlas works →
Spotted an error in this entry? Report it →