Fibromyalgia Syndrome Following Coronavirus Disease 2019

Objective: Fibromyalgia syndrome is a chronic rheumatic disease, the primary symptom of which is widespread body pain, accompanied by other symptoms, and infections play a role in its etiopathogenesis. Our study aims to investigate the symptoms between the patient group diagnosed with fibromyalgia syndrome after being infected with coronavirus disease 2019 and the fibromyalgia syndrome group without infection.

Methods: In this study, 35 patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia after having coronavirus disease 2019 and 35 patients diagnosed with non-coronavirus disease 2019 fibromyalgia according to the 2016 American College of Rheumatology diagnostic criteria, a total of 70 patients, were evaluated. Widespread Pain Index, Symptom Severity Scale, Fibromyalgia Symptom Scale, Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Jenkins Sleep Scale, Fatigue Severity Scale, and Visual Analogue Scale were used.

Results: In the study, sociodemographic findings such as age, weight, height, body mass index, marital status, education, Widespread Pain Index, Symptom Severity Scale, Fibromyalgia Symptom Scale, and fibromyalgia syndrome diagnostic criteria were high and similar in both groups. Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Jenkins Sleep Scale, Fatigue Severity Scale, and Visual Analogue Scale-pain scores, which were increased in both groups, were statistically higher and more significant in the post-coronavirus disease 2019 fibromyalgia syndrome group than in the fibromyalgia syndrome group (P < .001). The scores of fibromyalgia effect, anxiety and sleep disorders, fatigue, and pain severity were higher in fibromyalgia patients after coronavirus disease 2019.

Conclusions: In this study, we revealed that fibromyalgia symptoms might develop after coronavirus disease 2019 and, unlike idiopathic fibromyalgia, symptoms of anxiety and sleep disturbance, fatigue, and pain may be more severe. Thus, we showed that coronavirus disease 2019 could negatively affect general health more than idiopathic fibromyalgia syndrome.

Cite this article as: Ekinci B, Aktaş N, Ergül EE, Kaya Subaşı P, Hayme S. Fibromyalgia syndrome following coronavirus disease 2019. Arch Basic Clin Res., 2023;5(1):202-207.