Prevalence of fibromyalgia syndrome in Saudi Arabia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Background The current systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to estimate the prevalence of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) in Saudi Arabia. Methods A PRISMA systematic search appraisal and meta-analysis were conducted. A systematic literature search of English publications in PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, Web of Science, MEDLINE, and Google Scholar, was conducted up to December 2022. Generic, methodological and statistical data was extracted from the eligible studies. Meta-analysis was done using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis Software. The effect size estimates were calculated using the Fail-Safe N test. The funnel plot, Begg’s and Mazumdar’s rank correlation tests were employed to find any potential bias. The strength of the association between two variables is assessed using Kendall’s tau. A fixed-effects model for the meta-analysis. Results The literature search yielded a total of 2479 studies. Eight papers were included in the final analysis with sample size ranging 40 to 1686. All studies were cross-sectional except two, which were retrospective. The total number of the participants recruited in the included articles was 4967 (1794 males and 3173 females); with age ranged between 20 and 79 years. There was high heterogeneity among studies articles (Q = 270.187; p-value 0.001); the tau value was 0.179. The pooled event rates and the 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the prevalence of FMS in Saudi Arabia in a fixed-effects model was 13.4% (95% CI: 0.124–0.144). Conclusion Our results clearly demonstrate that FMS is highly prevalent (13.4%) in Saudi Arabia. It also more common among women. The high prevalence of FMS in Saudi Arabia should be seriously considered and planners should take steps to reduce it.

Translation, Cross-Cultural Adaptation, and Psychometric Properties of the Revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQR) for Use in Arabic-Speaking Patients in Saudi Arabia

“…3 A systematic review found that FM affects 13.4% of the Saudi population. 4 Due to the debilitating nature of FM, it can significantly impair patients' quality of life and work productivity, 5,6 and it imposes a considerable economic, personal, and social burden. [7][8][9] In daily clinical practice, continuous assessment of the impact and severity of FM on patients is crucial for evaluating patients' status and treatment outcomes.…”

Patient preferences for models of care for fibromyalgia: A discrete choice experiment

“…Fibromyalgia is a common reason for referral to a rheumatologist [ 1 ] and is estimated to affect from around 1 in 50 to 1 in 20 people, depending on the criteria used for classification [ 2 ]. Estimates of population prevalence are highly variable; for example, the population prevalence of fibromyalgia in the UK was estimated to be around 5.4% in 2015 [ 2 ] but, depending on the classification criteria, it can be considerably higher in other countries, for example, in Saudi Arabia, where it has been estimated to be 13.4% [ 3 ]. It is a pain state of no clear pathophysiological mechanism, with symptoms usually beginning in adolescence/early adulthood, although they can start later in life as well, and manifest as pain throughout the body, fatigue and cognitive dysfunction.…”