Prevalence of Fibromyalgia among Ischemic Heart Disease Patients in Lahore

Main Article Content

Aleena Chohdary
Nimra Riaz
Zainab Riaz
Tayyaba Maqsood
Hadia Zulfiqar
Aasma Noor

Abstract

Background: Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic pain disorder often coexisting with other conditions, complicating diagnosis, and management. Ischemic heart disease (IHD) patients may exhibit FM symptoms, which can affect their overall health and treatment outcomes. Understanding the prevalence and severity of FM in IHD patients can improve clinical approaches and patient care.


Objective: To determine the prevalence of fibromyalgia among ischemic heart disease patients in Lahore and to assess the severity of associated somatic symptoms.


Methods: This cross-sectional study included 158 participants diagnosed with ischemic heart disease, recruited through non-probability sampling from the Punjab Institute of Cardiology. The age range of participants was 30-60 years, with a mean age of 2.2595±0.75865. Both genders were included, with 62 males (39.2%) and 96 females (60.8%). Participants were categorized into three age groups for analysis. Data collection involved administering a fibromyalgia screening questionnaire to participants who provided informed consent. Exclusion criteria included diabetes, autoimmune diseases, immunosuppressive diseases, liver diseases, cancer, and history of substance abuse. Ethical approval was obtained according to the Declaration of Helsinki. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25.0, with descriptive statistics (means, standard deviations, frequencies) and inferential statistics employed to explore associations between fibromyalgia and ischemic heart disease.


Results: Among the 158 IHD patients, 61.4% reported fibromyalgia symptoms, while 38.6% did not. Fibromyalgia symptoms were reported in the upper extremities by 93.7% of patients, in the lower extremities by 86%, in the face by 50%, in the front areas by 64.6%, and in the upper and lower back by 61.4%. Additionally, 62.7% of IHD patients reported somatic symptoms beyond musculoskeletal pain. Severity of symptoms included 55% reporting moderate to extreme fatigue, 58% reporting moderate to extreme difficulty waking refreshed, and 30% reporting slight cognitive changes.


Conclusion: The study identified a significant prevalence of fibromyalgia symptoms among ischemic heart disease patients, with considerable severity of symptoms and additional somatic complaints. These findings highlight the importance of screening for fibromyalgia in IHD patients to improve diagnosis and treatment strategies, ultimately enhancing patient outcomes.

Article Details

How to Cite
Chohdary, A., Nimra Riaz, Zainab Riaz, Tayyaba Maqsood, Hadia Zulfiqar, & Aasma Noor. (2024). Prevalence of Fibromyalgia among Ischemic Heart Disease Patients in Lahore. Journal of Health and Rehabilitation Research, 4(2), 1001–1005. https://doi.org/10.61919/jhrr.v4i2.950
Section
Articles
Author Biographies

Aleena Chohdary, Social Security Hospital - Multan Road - Lahore - PESSI - Pakistan.

Social Security Hospital - Multan Road - Lahore - PESSI - Pakistan.

Nimra Riaz, Sehat Medical Complex - Project of UOL - Lahore - Pakistan.

Sehat Medical Complex - Project of UOL - Lahore - Pakistan.

Zainab Riaz, Zafar Hospital - Lahore - Pakistan.

Zafar Hospital - Lahore - Pakistan.

Tayyaba Maqsood, Social Security Hospital - Multan Road - Lahore - PESSI - Pakistan.

Social Security Hospital - Multan Road - Lahore - PESSI - Pakistan.

Hadia Zulfiqar, Social Security Hospital - Multan Road - Lahore - PESSI - Pakistan.

Social Security Hospital - Multan Road - Lahore - PESSI - Pakistan.

Aasma Noor, Social Security Hospital - Multan Road - Lahore - PESSI - Pakistan.

Social Security Hospital - Multan Road - Lahore - PESSI - Pakistan.

References

García-Ríos MC, Navarro-Ledesma S, Tapia-Haro RM, Toledano-Moreno S, Casas-Barragán A, Correa-Rodríguez M, et al. Effectiveness of Health Education in Patients With Fibromyalgia: A Systematic Review. European Journal of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine. 2019;55(2):301-13.

Wolfe F, Clauw DJ, Fitzcharles MA, Goldenberg DL, Katz RS, Mease P, et al. The American College of Rheumatology Preliminary Diagnostic Criteria for Fibromyalgia and Measurement of Symptom Severity. Arthritis Care & Research. 2010;62(5):600-10.

Bennett R. Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Myofascial Pain. Current Opinion in Rheumatology. 1998;10(2):95-103.

Triadafilopoulos G, Simms RW, Goldenberg DL. Bowel Dysfunction in Fibromyalgia Syndrome. Digestive Diseases and Sciences. 1991;36:59-64.

Viola-Saltzman M, Watson NF, Bogart A, Goldberg J, Buchwald D. High Prevalence of Restless Legs Syndrome Among Patients With Fibromyalgia: A Controlled Cross-Sectional Study. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. 2010;6(5):423-7.

Wolfe F, Cathey M, Kleinheksel S. Fibrositis (Fibromyalgia) in Rheumatoid Arthritis. The Journal of Rheumatology. 1984;11(6):814-8.

Buskila D, Press J, Abu-Shakra M. Fibromyalgia in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Prevalence and Clinical Implications. Clinical Reviews in Allergy & Immunology. 2003;25:25-8.

Bradley LA. Pathophysiology of Fibromyalgia. The American Journal of Medicine. 2009;122(12)

.

Gist AC, Guymer EK, Ajani AE, Littlejohn GO. Fibromyalgia Has a High Prevalence and Impact in Cardiac Failure Patients. European Journal of Rheumatology. 2017;4(4):245.

Sabah ZU, Alarim RAO, Alarim MAO. The Role of Cold Exposure on Ischemic Heart Disease: A Systematic Review. 2022.

Grundy SM. Cholesterol and Coronary Heart Disease: A New Era. JAMA. 1986;256(20):2849-58.

Younis A, Alsaaty MH. Frequency of Fibromyalgia in a Sample of Iraqi Patients in Mosul With Ischemic Heart Disease. Open Access Macedonian Journal of Medical Sciences. 2021;9(B):1672-6.

Al-Bidri KM, Gorial FI, Al-Rawi ZS, Yousif MA. Prevalence of Fibromyalgia in Iraqi Patients With Ischemic Heart Disease. Journal of the Faculty of Medicine Baghdad. 2009;51(2):127-9.

Tsai P-S, Fan Y-C, Huang C-J. Fibromyalgia Is Associated With Coronary Heart Disease: A Population-Based Cohort Study. Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine. 2015;40(1):37-42.

Acosta-Manzano P, Segura-Jiménez V, Estévez-López F, Álvarez-Gallardo IC, Soriano-Maldonado A, Borges-Cosic M, et al. Do Women With Fibromyalgia Present Higher Cardiovascular Disease Risk Profile Than Healthy Women? The Al-Andalus Project. Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology. 2017;35(3).

Aşkın A, Güvendi E, Özkan A, Şimşek EÇ, Kocabaş U, Tosun A. Prevalence of Fibromyalgia Syndrome and Its Correlations With Arrhythmia in Patients With Palpitations. Acta Medica. 2018;60(4):146-51.

Buskila Y, Buskila D, Jacob G, Ablin JN. High Prevalence of Fibromyalgia Among Israeli School Teachers. Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology. 2019;37(116).

Arout CA, Sofuoglu M, Bastian LA, Rosenheck RA. Gender Differences in the Prevalence of Fibromyalgia and in Concomitant Medical and Psychiatric Disorders: A National Veterans Health Administration Study. Journal of Women's Health. 2018;27(8):1035-44.

Althobaiti NK, Amin BA, Alhamyani AD, Alzahrani SM, Alamri AM, Alhomayani FKH, et al. Prevalence of Fibromyalgia Syndrome in Taif City, Saudi Arabia. Cureus. 2022;14(12).

Costa AR, Freire A, Parraca JA, Silva V, Tomas-Carus P, Villafaina S. Heart Rate Variability and Salivary Biomarkers Differences Between Fibromyalgia and Healthy Participants After an Exercise Fatigue Protocol: An Experimental Study. Diagnostics. 2022;12(9):2220.