Prevalence and Clinical Correlates of Fibromyalgia Screening Positivity in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Background

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is associated with chronic pain and reduced quality of life, even in the absence of active intestinal inflammation. International studies suggest that fibromyalgia (FM), a chronic pain disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, sleep disturbance, and multiple somatic symptoms, is more prevalent among patients with IBD than among the general population. However, data from Saudi Arabia are limited.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted at King Abdulaziz University Hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, during July and August of 2024. Patients with biopsy-confirmed IBD were identified from hospital records and contacted by phone to screen for FM using a validated Arabic version of the Fibromyalgia Rapid Screening Tool. Demographic data, comorbidities, medication exposure, IBD characteristics, disease activity, and laboratory parameters were extracted from the medical records and compared between patients with and without FM.

Results

Of 274 patients with IBD (mean age 30.9 ± 9.2 years; 56.9% male), 51 (18.6%; 95% CI 14.2-23.7) met criteria for FM. Patients with FM tended to be older than those without and were more likely to have comorbidities, particularly thyroid disorders, as well as low Vitamin D levels. Prior 5-aminosalicylic acid use was also more common among patients with FM. Inflammatory markers, hematological indices, IBD phenotypes, and disease activity were similar between the groups.

Conclusions

Saudi patients with IBD often have comorbid FM. Routine FM screening in IBD clinics may help avoid misattributing central pain to active inflammation and unnecessary treatment escalation.