Vitamins C and E treatment combined with exercise modulates oxidative stress markers in blood of patients with fibromyalgia: A controlled clinical pilot study

Figures & data

Table I.  Demographic values of patients with FM, experimental groups, and controls.

	Control (n = 30)	FM (n = 31)	FM+EX (n = 11)	FM+VCE (n = 11)	FM+EX+VCE (n = 10)
Age (years)	39.6 ± 5.8 (26–42)	40.1 ± 5.2 (27–43)	37.8 ± 8.7 (25–43)	40.5 ± 4.9 (28–42)	37.4 ± 4.0 (25–39)
Height (cm)	161.9 ± 4.8 (153–166)	160.9 ± 5.3 (152–166)	159.9 ± 4.2 (151–163)	161.2 ± 4.3 (153–166)	161.2 ± 3.4 (154–162)
BMI (kg/m^2)	23.6 ± 1.8 (20–25)	25.0 ± 6.1 (20–29)	26.6 ± 3.5 (23–29)	27.0 ± 2.8 (24–29)	26.0 ± 3.5 (23–29)

Notes: BMI, body mass index; FM, all fibromyalgia patients at baseline; sub-groups: FM+EX, fibromyalgia+exercise group; FM+VCE, fibromyalgia+VCE supplemented group; FM+EX+VCE, fibromyalgia+VCE + exercise group; n, number of subjects. Values are mean ± SD and (min–max).

Table II.  Tender point number and pain intensity in patients with FM and controls.

			FM+EX		FM+VCE		FM+EX+VCE
	Control (n = 30)	Total FM (n = 31)	Before (n = 11)	After (n = 11)	Before (n = 11)	After (n = 11)	before (n = 10)	After (n = 10)
Tender point number	2.3 ± 2.2	14.7 ± 1.9*	13.2 ± 1.7	15.4 ± 1.8	15.7 ± 1.5	15.0 ± 1.6	15.8 ± 8.7	14.3 ± 1.6
Pain intensity (VAS, cm)	10.0 ± 5.0	77.3 ± 9.4*	77.0 ± 3.8	78.0 ± 7.8	74.0 ± 3.5	75.0 ± 11.7	76.6 ± 5.5	79.0 ± 8.7

Notes: FM, all fibromyalgia patients at baseline; sub-groups: FM+EX, fibromyalgia+exercise group; FM+VCE, fibromyalgia+VCE supplemented group; FM+EX+VCE, fibromyalgia+VCE + exercise group. Values are mean ± SD and (min–max). n, number of subjects; Before, before treatment; After, after treatment. Values are mean ± SD. *p < 0.001 versus control, Student's t-test.

Table III.  The effects of VCE and EX on plasma LP levels and antioxidant vitamin concentrations in patients with FM.

			FM+EX		FM+VCE		FM+EX+ VCE
	Control (n = 30)	Total FM (n = 31)	Before (n = 11)	After (n = 11)	Before (n = 11)	After (n = 11)	Before (n = 10)	After (n = 10)
LP (nmol/ml)	1.3 ± 0.2	3.4 ± 0.5**	3.6 ± 0.6	2.2 ± 0.3^‡	3.1 ± 0.5	2.1 ± 0.2^‡	3.6 ± 0.4	2.1 ± 0.1^‡
Vitamin A (μmol/l)	2.4 ± 0.2	1.5 ± 0.5*	1.6 ± 0.3	2.2 ± 0.3^†	1.8 ± 0.2	2.3 ± 0.2^†	1.4 ± 0.1	2.2 ± 0.2^†
Vitamin C (μmol/l)	0.9 ± 0.2	0.9 ± 0.1	0.9 ± 0.1	0.7 ± 0.2^†	0.9 ± 0.1	1.4 ± 0.2^†	0.9 ± 0.2	1.2 ± 0.3^†
Vitamin E (μmol/l)	7.3 ± 1.8	3.9 ± 05**	4.2 ± 0.6	5.8 ± 1.1^†	3.9 ± 0.4	6.0 ± 0.6^‡	3.5 ± 0.2	6.7 ± 0.9^¶
β-Carotene (μmol/l)	1.3 ± 0.3	1.1 ± 0.2	1.0 ± 0.2	1.0 ± 0.1	1.0 ± 0.2	1.0 ± 0.1	1.1 ± 0.1	1.0 ± 0.2

Note: FM, all fibromyalgia patients at baseline; sub-groups: FM+EX, fibromyalgia+exercise group; FM+VCE, fibromyalgia+VCE supplemented group; FM+EX+VCE, fibromyalgia+VCE+exercise group. Values are mean ± SD. n, number of subjects; Before, before treatment; After, after treatment. Significant differences between values at 12 weeks and baseline are indicated for the FM+EX, FM+VCE, and FM+EX+VCE groups. *p < 0.05 and **p < 0.001 vs. control, Student's t-test

^† p < 0.05

^‡ p < 0.01

^¶ p < 0.001 vs. before treatment, Wilcoxon test.

Table IV.  The effects of VCE and EX on erythrocyte LP levels, reduced GSH, and GSH-Px values in patients with FM.

			FM+EX		FM+VCE		FM+EX+VCE
	Control (n = 30)	Total FM (n = 31)	Before (n = 11)	After (n = 11)	Before (n = 11)	After (n = 11)	Before (n = 10)	After (n = 10)
LP (μmol/g Hb)	12.7 ± 2.9	14.8 ± 2.7*	14.9 ± 4.1	10.2 ± 2.1^†	14.1 ± 1.3	8.5 ± 2.2^‡	15.1 ± 2.0	7.3 ± 1.6^‡
GSH (μmol/g Hb)	12.4 ± 3.9	7.0 ± 1.5**	6.4 ± 1.4	8.1 ± 1.9^†	6.7 ± 1.4	11.2 ± 1.1^‡	7.9 ± 1.5	12.0 ± 1.3^‡
GSH-Px (IU/g Hb)	15.8 ± 3.4	15.6 ± 3.4	15.0 ± 2.8	15.6 ± 2.6	16.0 ± 3.4	18.2 ± 2.5^†	15.9 ± 4.1	18.7 ± 2.8^†

Notes: FM, all fibromyalgia patients at baseline; sub-groups: FM+EX, fibromyalgia+exercise group; FM+VCE, fibromyalgia+VCE supplemented group; FM+EX+VCE, fibromyalgia+VCE+exercise group. Values are mean ± SD. n, number of subjects; Hb: Before, before treatment; After, after treatment. Significant differences between values at 12 weeks and baseline are indicated for the FM+EX, FM+VCE, and FM+EX+VCE groups. *p < 0.05 and **p < 0.001 vs. control, Student's t-test

^† p < 0.05

^‡ p < 0.01 vs before treatment, Wilcoxon test.