Possible relations between arterial hypertension and cervical spine fibromyalgias (literature review)

Abstract

The literature review analyses and systematises currently available information on fi-bromyalgia etiology and pathogenesis, hypertension classification and causes, and considers pos-sible relationships between cervical fibromyalgia and hypertension. Statistical data on mortality in
 Ukraine related to cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension, are highlighted. A concise clas-sification of arterial hypertension according to the International Classification of Diseases-10 (ICD-10) and the International Classification of Diseases-11 (ICD-11) is provided, and its pathogenesis
 (emission hypertension, resistance hypertension and hypervolemia) is outlined. Physiological rela-tions between cervical spine and cardiovascular system are considered. The main diagnostic criteria
 for fibromyalgia classification and its development stages are described. Prevalence of fibromyalgiais identified and its forms are classified in accordance with ICD-11. The available data on the likelycauses of fibromyalgia pain and any established mechanisms of fibromyalgia pathogenesis, including,but not limited to peripheral and central sensitisation, neurogenic inflammatory processes occurringin the disease-associated peripheral tissues, spinal cord and brain, as well as potential involvementof genetic, endocrine, psychopathological factors and sleep disorders in fibromyalgia development
 are discussed. The current formal criteria for fibromyalgia classification (revised in 2016), togeth-er with assessment of the main pharmacological and non-pharmacological fibromyalgia treatment
 methods and approaches based upon available published clinical trials outcomes are described. The
 main directions of fibromyalgia research are identified, and further prospective studies covering dif-ferent relationship aspects between hypertension and cervical fibromyalgia are evaluated. Among
 the available literature sources, the only study of patients with comorbid fibromyalgia (fibromyalgiawas diagnosed using 1990 American College of Rheumatology criteria and evaluated by Revisedfibromyalgia impact questionnaire (FIQR)) and hypertension (blood pressure levels were assessedusing the WHO protocol) has been reported. However, this group has only studied the dynamics ofchanges in cortisol, melatonin and serotonin blood levels, which accompany these pathologies, andthese authors have found that fibromyalgia tender points’ quantity and FIQR scores are much higher
 in hypertensive patients with fibromyalgia in comparison with the rest, which has led them to the con-clusion that hypertension prevalence in patients with fibromyalgia could be related to fibromyalgia severity. Thus, this thorough literature review demonstrates that clinical studies examining possiblerelationships between hypertension and cervical spine fibromyalgia are at lack and require furtherconsiderations.