Prevalence of axial spondyloarthropathy among patients suffering from Fibromyalgia - an MRI study with application of the ASAS classification criteria
Two articles on PainSci cite Ablin 2016: 1. The Complete Guide to Low Back Pain 2. 6 Main Causes of Morning Back Pain
original abstract †Abstracts here may not perfectly match originals, for a variety of technical and practical reasons. Some abstacts are truncated for my purposes here, if they are particularly long-winded and unhelpful. I occasionally add clarifying notes. And I make some minor corrections.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence of sacroiliitis, the radiographic hallmark of inflammatory spondyloarthropathy, among patients diagnosed with the fibromyalgia syndrome, using the current ASAS criteria and MR imaging.
METHODS: Patients suffering from FMS (ACR 1990 criteria) were interviewed regarding presence of SpA features and underwent HLA-B27 testing, CRP measurement and MRI examinations of the sacro-iliac joints. FMS severity was assessed by the FIQ and SF-36 questionnaires. SpA severity was assessed by the BASDAI.
RESULTS: Sacroiliitis was demonstrated among 8 (8.1%) of patients and ASAS criteria for diagnosis of axial SpA were met in 10 (10.2%) of patients. Imaging changes suggestive of inflammatory involvement (e.g. erosions and sub-chondreal sclerosis) were demonstrated in 15 (17%) and 22 (25%) of patients respectively. The diagnosis of axial SpA was positively correlated with increased CRP and with physical role limitation at recruitment.
CONCLUSION: Imaging changes suggestive of axial SpA were common among patients presenting with a diagnosis of FMS. These findings suggest that FMS may mask an underlying axial SpA, a diagnosis with important therapeutic implications. Physicians involved in the management of FMS should remain vigilant to the possibility of underlying inflammatory disorders and actively search for such co-morbidities.
This page is part of the PainScience BIBLIOGRAPHY, which contains plain language summaries of thousands of scientific papers & others sources. It’s like a highly specialized blog. A few highlights:
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