2023-07-11 17:30:00
Diffuse and persistent pain, fatigue, sensitivity to pressure, sleep disorders: fibromyalgia is a chronic disabling disorder. Its causes are poorly understood, but we know that it can be associated with other pathologies. In a recent study, published in RMD Openresearchers show that fibromyalgia increases the risk of death.
When fibromyalgia is not the only disease..
The researchers started from an observation: there is a high risk that fibromyalgia co-exists with another disease or another disorder, such as neurological, mental or intestinal disorders. However, this probably increases the risk of premature death of the persons concerned. To test their hypothesis, scientists at Ben-Gurion University in Beersheba, Israel, conducted a meta-analysis. They worked on the results of eight studies on the subject, published between 1999 and 2020. This allowed them to constitute a sample of more than 188,000 adults with fibromyalgia and another pathology. “The analysis showed that fibromyalgia was associated with a 27% increased risk of death from all causes over time, although this was not true for people diagnosed by the 1990 criteria,” they observe. This date corresponds to an evolution of the diagnostic criteria for the disease, thanks to a better understanding of its symptoms.
A higher risk of death in case of fibromyalgia accompanied by another pathology
However, in detail, their work shows that in people with fibromyalgia and another disorder, the risk of accidental death was 5% higher than that of the general population of the same age. For infections like sepsis and pneumonia, the risk was 44% higher and more than three times higher for suicide.
On the other hand, people with fibromyalgia and another pathology have a 12% reduced risk of cancer compared to the general population. This time, scientists have an explanation: people suffering from the disease generally visit medical facilities more frequently, which facilitates a possible diagnosis.
Fibromyalgia: how to explain the higher risk of mortality?
Faced with this, the authors wonder about the precise causes of this higher risk of death. “The finding of increased mortality associated with accidents may stem from the fatigue, non-restorative sleep and difficulty concentrating that accompany fibromyalgia,” they assume. They point out that more and more studies support the involvement of the immune system and inflammation in the pathophysiology of fibromyalgia, “which may explain the finding of increased mortality due to infections”, according to them.
“Whether this increased risk is due to fibromyalgia itself or to co-occurring conditions is unclear,” the researchers note, as their research was not designed to assess this. “But this is an important question, they stress, that further research needs to be addressed.”
They also believe it is necessary for health professionals to approach the disease seriously. “Fibromyalgia is often referred to as an ‘imaginary disorder’, with ongoing debates about the legitimacy and clinical utility of this diagnosis, they recall. Our work provides further evidence that patients with fibromyalgia should be taken seriously. , with particular attention to the detection of suicidal thoughts, the prevention of accidents and infections.
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