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What happens to muscles in fibromyalgia syndrome

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Irish Journal of Medical Science (1971 -) Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

The main somatic symptoms of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) are chronic musculoskeletal pain, stiffness, and fatigue, all of which are related to the muscle system and its functioning.

Aims

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the asymptomatic upper and lower extremity muscles evaluated using ultrasonography (US) were different from healthy controls in both newly diagnosed and established FMS and to assess whether muscle measurements were related to fatigue and disease severity, as well as quality of life.

Methods

This study was conducted on 152 subjects (102 patients and 50 healthy controls) as a cross-sectional controlled trial. Real-time imaging of cross-sectional thickness (CST) (for deltoid, biceps brachii, triceps brachii, forearm flexor, tibialis anterior, and gastrocnemius medialis), and cross-sectional areas (CSAs) (quadriceps femoris (QF)) measurements were performed using US. Fatigue and disease severity as well as quality of life scales were given to all participants.

Results

In both patient groups, decreased QF muscle CSA was significantly correlated with increased fatigue severity and decreased overall quality of life and energy levels. Moreover, in patients with established disease, there was a significant correlation between the decrease in QF muscle CSA and increased social isolation and between the decrease in biceps brachii muscle CST and increased fatigue severity.

Conclusions

Whether in newly diagnosed or established disease, muscle measurement values and quality of life parameters were significantly decreased in patients with FMS compared with healthy controls.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Ankara Diskapi Yildirim Beyazit Training and Research Hospital, University of Health Sciences, Ankara, Turkey

    Ebru Umay, Ibrahim Gundogdu & Erhan Arif Ozturk

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  1. Ebru Umay
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  2. Ibrahim Gundogdu
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  3. Erhan Arif Ozturk
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Correspondence to Ebru Umay.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

The study protocol was approved by the local ethics committee, and it was carried out in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. Each participant’s caregiver was informed about the purpose of the study before participation, and the completion of the studies was voluntary.

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Umay, E., Gundogdu, I. & Ozturk, E.A. What happens to muscles in fibromyalgia syndrome. Ir J Med Sci 189, 749–756 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11845-019-02138-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11845-019-02138-w

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