Mortality in fibromyalgia: A study of 8,186 patients over thirty‐five years

Abstract

Objective. To determine if mortality is increased among patients diagnosed as having fibromyalgia. Methods. We studied 8,186 fibromyalgia patients seen between 1974 and 2009 in 3 settings: all fibromyalgia patients in a clinical practice, patients participating in the US National Data Bank for Rheumatic Diseases (NDB), and patients invited to participate in the NDB who refused participation. Internal controls included 10,087 patients with osteoarthritis. Deaths were determined by multiple source communication, and all patients were also screened in the US National Death Index (NDI). We calculated standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) based on age-and sex-stratified US population data, after adjustment for NDI nonresponse.Results. There were 539 deaths, and the overall SMR was 0.90 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.61-1.26). Among 1,665 clinic patients, the SMR was 0.92 (95% CI 0.81-1.05). Sensitivity analyses varying the rate of NDI nonidentification did not alter the nonassociation. Adjusted for age and sex, the hazard ratio for fibromyalgia compared with osteoarthritis was 1.05 (95% CI 0.94 -1.17). The standardized mortality odds ratio (OR) compared with the US general population was increased for suicide (OR 3.31, 95% CI 2.15-5.11) and for accidental deaths (OR 1.45, 95% CI 1.02-2.06), but not for malignancy. Conclusion. Mortality does not appear to be increased in patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia, but the risk of death from suicide and accidents was increased.

Fibromyalgia: A Critical and Comprehensive Review

“…However, these findings are based on small numbers and should be replicated in larger cohorts. FMS per se does not represent a heightened mortality risk, but patients with FMS show an increased risk of death from suicide and accidents compared to the general population [597].…”

Trends in non-AIDS-related causes of death among adults with HIV/AIDS, Brazil, 1999 to 2010

“…This statistic is used to compare mortality between two groups when the data for the denominator are not available to calculate the mortality rate 4,7,8 . To use the SMOR, the mortality data should be analyzed as if they were data from a case-control study.…”

149. Epigenetic Alterations and an Increased Frequency of Micronuclei in Women With Fibromyalgia

“…In addition, many patients experience depression, anxiety, and dyscognition [2,3]. FM has a significant adverse impact on many individuals' physical and mental health [4,5] and also leads to reduced workplace productivity and increased health care/disability expenses, with the estimated cost of FM on the US economy being reported to be 12-14 billion dollars [1,6]. While the adverse impact of this condition is indisputable, its etiology remains enigmatic.…”