A supplemental appendix to this article is published electronically only at http://jdr.sagepub.com/supplemental.

ObjectivesSeveral lines of evidence suggest that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is involved in the pathophysiology of fibromyalgia (FM) and studies have found that FM patients have altered serum and plasma BDNF levels. However, it is not known whether polymorphisms of the BDNF gene are associated with FM. In this study, we explored the association between polymorphisms of the BDNF gene with FM susceptibility and the severity of symptoms.MethodsThe study enrolled 409 patients with FM and 423 controls from 10 medical centres that participated in the Korean nationwide FM survey study. Alleles at 10 positions in the BDNF gene were genotyped: rs2883187 (C>T), rs7103873 (G>C), rs7103411(C>T), rs10835210 (C>A), rs11030104 (A>G), rs12273539 (C>T), rs11030102(C>G), rs11030101 (A>T), rs6265 (G>A), and rs7124442(C>T).ResultsThe allele and genotype frequencies of BDNF rs11030104 differed significantly between the FM patients and controls (p=0.031). The GG genotype of rs11030104 had a protective role against FM (p=0.016) and the G allele of rs11030104 was negatively associated with the presence of FM compared with the A allele (p=0.013). In comparison, although the allele and genotype frequencies of BDNF rs12273539 did not differ between the FM patients and controls, the TT genotype of BDNF rs12273539 was associated with susceptibility to FM (p=0.038). Haplotype analyses suggested that some BDNF haplotypes have a protective role against FM. Finally, we found that that some genotypes and haplotypes of the BDNF gene contribute to the specific symptoms of FM.ConclusionsThis study is the first to evaluate the associations of BDNF gene polymorphisms with FM. Our results suggest that some BDNF single-nucleotide polymorphisms and haplotypes are associated with susceptibility to, and contribute to the symptoms of, FM.Disclosure of InterestNone declared