article · Revista Brasileira de Reumatologia
A multicentre study evaluated the prevalence and impact of fibromyalgia among 550 Egyptian patients diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus. Using established diagnostic criteria, fibromyalgia was identified in 21.6 per cent of the participants, who were predominantly female. The presence of fibromyalgia was significantly linked to older age, higher body mass index, longer disease duration, and elevated lupus disease activity scores. In addition, patients with fibromyalgia were more likely to live alone, suffer from chronic psychiatric conditions or chronic kidney disease, and undergo haemodialysis. Sleep disturbances, including snoring, sleep apnoea, and shorter sleep duration, were also significantly more common. Assessments using the Short-Form Health Survey-36 revealed that patients with co-occurring fibromyalgia experienced substantially poorer health-related quality of life across every measured domain compared to those without the condition.
Systemic lupus erythematosus is a complex autoimmune disorder that severely disrupts daily life. Demonstrating that over a fifth of patients also experience fibromyalgia highlights an under-recognised source of pain, poor sleep, and reduced well-being. Identifying these overlapping symptoms allows healthcare providers to tailor clinical assessments and supportive interventions, ultimately helping to improve overall care and daily quality of life for vulnerable patients.
This clinical observational study does not present a commercial product. However, its findings could inform the design of specialised clinical screening protocols, digital patient-monitoring tools, or integrated care programmes for rheumatologists and healthcare providers managing lupus. Because this is early-stage observational research focused on disease prevalence and clinical correlations, any potential commercial diagnostic or disease-management applications remain distant from use and require dedicated development.
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BACKGROUND: Fibromyalgia (FM) is a rheumatic disorder characterized by widespread persistent pain, hyperalgesia, and allodynia. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of FM among Egyptian patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and its effect on their health-related quality of life (HRQoL). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional analytical multicenter study was conducted on 550 Egyptian SLE patients. The patients' sociodemographic characteristics, clinical and therapeutic data, and sleeping patterns were collected. SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI) was assessed. We employed the 2016 revisions to the 2010/2011 FM diagnostic criteria to determine the presence of FM and the patients administered the Short-Form Health Survey-36 (SF-36). RESULTS: The mean (SD) age was 32.72 (9.90) years, and 91.3% were female. Of 550 Egyptian SLE patients, 119 (21.6%) fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of FM. The FM group was statistically significantly associated with higher age (P = 0.001), body mass index (BMI) (P = 0.008), longer SLE duration (p < 0.001), and higher scores of SLEDAI (p < 0.001). Also, living alone (p < 0.001), chronic psychiatric disease (p = 0.008), chronic kidney disease (p = 0.025), and chronic hemodialysis (p = 0.042) were significantly higher among the FM group. Sleep disorders, such as snoring and sleep apnea, were more prevalent among FM patients. The average sleep hours were significantly lower among the FM group (p < 0.001). FM patients had statistically significantly lower scores across all domains of SF36. CONCLUSION: FM is prevalent among Egyptian SLE patients, and shows significant associations withage, BMI, SLE duration and activity, and disturbed sleep pattern and has a negative impact on their HRQoL. Therefore, early detection and treatment are recommended.
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DOI: 10.1186/s42358-026-00571-x
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