Plasma and interstitial levels of endocannabinoids and N-acylethanolamines in patients with chronic widespread pain and fibromyalgia: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Meta-analysisHumans
- Design
- Meta-analysis
- Subjects
- 8 studies in the qualitative review and 7 in the meta-analysis of patients with chronic widespread pain or fibromyalgia versus healthy controls
- Dose used in the study
- No palmitoylethanolamide was given; plasma and interstitial levels were compared
- Duration
- Not applicable
- What was measured
- Plasma and interstitial endocannabinoid and N-acylethanolamine levels in patients versus controls.
What the authors reported
The meta-analysis found:
- Plasma OEA and stearoylethanolamide were higher in fibromyalgia than controls (P = 0.005 and P < 0.0001).
- Plasma palmitoylethanolamide and interstitial stearoylethanolamide were higher in chronic widespread pain (P = 0.05 and P = 0.001), with other parameters unchanged.
- Most included studies did not account for cannabis use, medication, comorbidities, activity, stress, sleep or diet.
Limits of this study
A small number of included studies with uncontrolled confounders. One author heads research at Little Green Pharma Ltd, and the first author's PhD scholarship is partly funded by that company.
Source
PubMed 36381652 · doi:10.1097/PR9.0000000000001045
Entry checked against the abstract on PubMed on 2026-09-22. The dose shown is the dose the researchers used. It is not a recommendation. How to read this page.