Presence of Fibromyalgia Syndrome and Its Relationship with Clinical Parameters in Patients with Axial Spondyloarthritis

Background: Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a disorder with a population prevalence of 1%to 5%. There are insufficient data in the literature on the incidence of FMS in patients with axialspondyloarthritis (SpA), with only a limited number of studies conducted.Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the presence of FMS in patients diagnosedwith axial SpA and to investigate the effect of this coexistence on clinical and laboratory assessmentsin patients with ankylosing spondylitis.Study Design: This research involved a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data.Setting: The research took place in an outpatient rheumatology clinic.Methods: This study included 125 patients diagnosed with axial SpA according to the Assessmentof Spondyloarthritis International Society criteria. The presence of FMS was investigated accordingto the 2010 American College of Rheumatology criteria. Pain during activity, resting, and at nightwas examined using the Visual Analog Scale. Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Scores wereused for assessment of disease activity, Ankylosing Spondylitis Quality of Life Scale was usedfor quality of life, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index was used for functionality, andPittsburgh Sleep Quality Index was used for sleep quality.Results: Incidence of FMS was 29.6% in the study population, which consisted of patients whowere all diagnosed with axial SpA. Comparison of patient groups with and without FMS revealedno statistically significant differences in age, weight, body mass index, marital status, family history,and smoking history (P > .05), with a higher rate of female patients in the group with FMS at 55%(P < .05). Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score-C-Reaktif Protein, Ankylosing SpondylitisDisease Activity Score-Erythyrocyte Sedimentation Rate, Ankylosing Spondylitis Quality of LifeScale, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and VisualAnalog Scale pain scores were significantly higher in the group with FMS (P < .05).Limitation: The study involved a limited number of patients.Conclusions: FMS is observed in one-third of patients with axial SpA. The presence of FMSnegatively affects quality of life, functional status, sleep quality, disease activity, and pain level ofpatients with ankylosing spondylitis. The possibility for coexistence of FMS should be kept in mindwhen determining the treatment protocols for patients with axial spondyloarthritis, and adjunctivetreatment should be given if necessary