Fibromyalgia associated with increased mortality risk

Fibromyalgia, a condition that causes persistent widespread pain and fatigue, may be linked to a heightened risk of death as a result of vulnerability to accidents, infections, and especially suicide, suggests a pooled data analysis of the available evidence.

Given the extent of the pain they experience and the likelihood of other painful and debilitating conditions in these patients, it is thought that they are probably at heightened risk of dying before their time.

To strengthen this hypothesis, the researchers reviewed the findings of 8 relevant studies, published between 1999 and 2020, out of an initial haul of 33. They pooled the results from 6 of them, involving a total of 188,751 adults, all of whom had other coexisting conditions.

The analysis showed that fibromyalgia was associated with a 27% heightened risk of death from all causes over time, although this wasn’t true for those diagnosed by the 1990 criteria.

Specifically, the analysis showed that the risk of death from cancer was 12% lower than it was for the general population of the same age, and only marginally higher (5%) for accidents.

But it was 44% higher for infections, including pneumonia and septicemia, and more than 3 times as high for suicide.

Reference: Fibromyalgia and mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis, RMD Open, DOI 10.1136/reopen-2023-003005