{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,30]],"date-time":"2026-07-30T17:26:18Z","timestamp":1785432378260,"version":"3.56.0"},"reference-count":33,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"11","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,26]],"date-time":"2026-05-26T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1779753600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100009391","name":"Kafkas University","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["2023-TS-93"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2023-TS-93"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100009391","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"award":["2023-TS-93"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2023-TS-93"]}],"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/04v302n28","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JCM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a syndrome that commonly affects the musculoskeletal system and is characterized by fatigue and body aches. Recent studies have demonstrated a relationship between FMS and certain immunological markers. In this study, we investigated the relationship between MMP-3, IL-6, IL-6R, and TNF-\u03b1 serum levels and disease impact (FIQ score) in FMS patients. Methods: This case\u2013control study consisted of 164 participants, of whom 82 were patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) and 82 were healthy controls without FMS, chronic pain, or inflammatory diseases. Disease impact was assessed using the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ). MMP-3, IL-6, IL-6R, and TNF-\u03b1 serum levels were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. Results: In patients diagnosed with FMS, TNF-\u03b1, IL-6, IL-6R, and MMP-3 levels were significantly higher than those of the control group (all p &lt; 0.0001). MMP-3, IL-6, IL-6R, and TNF-\u03b1 levels correlated positively with the FIQ score. Conclusions: This study highlights the involvement of inflammatory processes in FMS, particularly the role of serum IL-6, TNF-\u03b1, IL-6R, and MMP-3 levels in the pathophysiology of FMS. The results indicate that inflammatory markers may be associated with the severity of FMS and may have potential as disease markers.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm15114107","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,26]],"date-time":"2026-05-26T11:02:51Z","timestamp":1779793371000},"page":"4107","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Investigation of MMP-3, IL-6, IL-6R, and TNF-Alpha Levels in Fibromyalgia Patients Presenting to a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinic"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7762-4634","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Abdullah","family":"Gumus","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Kafkas University, Kars 36100, T\u00fcrkiye"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3372-8589","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Faruk","family":"Erdogan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinic, Erzurum City Hospital, Erzurum 25240, T\u00fcrkiye"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sermin","family":"Durak","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University-Cerrahpa\u015fa, Istanbul 34098, T\u00fcrkiye"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7803-1462","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Murat","family":"Karamese","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kafkas University, Kars 36100, T\u00fcrkiye"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Umit","family":"Zeybek","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Molecular Medicine, Aziz Sancar Experimental Medicine Research Institute, Istanbul University, Istanbul 34093, T\u00fcrkiye"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,26]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"98","DOI":"10.1186\/ar1176","article-title":"Psychological stress and fibromyalgia: A review of the evidence suggesting a neuroendocrine link","volume":"6","author":"Gupta","year":"2004","journal-title":"Arthritis Res. 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