Pain modulation in patients with fibromyalgia undergoing acupuncture treatment is associated with fluctuations in serum neuropeptide Y levels

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is a neurotransmitter released by sympathetic neurons, which is probably involved in pain modulation. Acupuncture is increasingly used as an alternative or complementary means of controlling pain in rheumatic diseases such as fibromyalgia (FM), a chronic widespread pain syndrome accompanied by allodynia and hyperalgesia. The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of an acupuncture cycle on serum NPY levels in patients with FM, and identify possible correlations between its serum levels and clinical and clinimetric parameters.