Dr. Hassett has received consultant fees and speaking fees (less than $10,000 each) from Forest Pharmaceuticals and Jazz Pharmaceuticals.
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Fibromyalgia
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Mortality in fibromyalgia: A study of 8,186 patients over thirty-five years
Article first published online: 26 JUL 2010
DOI: 10.1002/acr.20301
Copyright © 2011 by the American College of Rheumatology
Additional Information
How to Cite
Wolfe, F., Hassett, A. L., Walitt, B. and Michaud, K. (2011), Mortality in fibromyalgia: A study of 8,186 patients over thirty-five years. Arthritis Care Res, 63: 94–101. doi: 10.1002/acr.20301
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Dr. Hassett has received consultant fees and speaking fees (less than $10,000 each) from Forest Pharmaceuticals and Jazz Pharmaceuticals.
Publication History
- Issue published online: 28 DEC 2010
- Article first published online: 26 JUL 2010
- Accepted manuscript online: 26 JUL 2010 12:00AM EST
- Manuscript Accepted: 7 JUL 2010
- Manuscript Received: 26 MAR 2010
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Abstract
Objective
To determine if mortality is increased among patients diagnosed as having fibromyalgia.
Methods
We studied 8,186 fibromyalgia patients seen between 1974 and 2009 in 3 settings: all fibromyalgia patients in a clinical practice, patients participating in the US National Data Bank for Rheumatic Diseases (NDB), and patients invited to participate in the NDB who refused participation. Internal controls included 10,087 patients with osteoarthritis. Deaths were determined by multiple source communication, and all patients were also screened in the US National Death Index (NDI). We calculated standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) based on age- and sex-stratified US population data, after adjustment for NDI nonresponse.
Results
There were 539 deaths, and the overall SMR was 0.90 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.61–1.26). Among 1,665 clinic patients, the SMR was 0.92 (95% CI 0.81–1.05). Sensitivity analyses varying the rate of NDI nonidentification did not alter the nonassociation. Adjusted for age and sex, the hazard ratio for fibromyalgia compared with osteoarthritis was 1.05 (95% CI 0.94–1.17). The standardized mortality odds ratio (OR) compared with the US general population was increased for suicide (OR 3.31, 95% CI 2.15–5.11) and for accidental deaths (OR 1.45, 95% CI 1.02– 2.06), but not for malignancy.
Conclusion
Mortality does not appear to be increased in patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia, but the risk of death from suicide and accidents was increased.