Bone mineral density in fibromyalgia patients--correlation to disease activity.
OBJECTIVE
To compare bone mass (BMD) in women with fibromyalgia (FM) with healthy females, and to evaluate whether self-reported pain and lack of functional capacity correlate to reduced BMD in FM patients.


METHODS
Thirty-one FM patients (20 pre- and 11 postmenopausal) and fourty-one healthy women (30 pre- and 10 postmenopausal) were enrolled in the study. BMD of the lumbar spine and the femoral neck was measured by a DEXA (Norland) scanner. Self reported pain was measured on a Visual Analog Scale (VAS). The Activity of Daily Living (ADL) component of the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ-ADL) was used as measure for physical capacity.


RESULTS
BMD-lumbar spine and BMD-femoral neck did not differ significantly between FM patients and controls, though premenopausal FM patients tended to have lower BMD-femoral neck (p = 0.09). Self reported pain and FIQ-ADL among FM patients correlated with BMD-femoral neck (r(s) = -0.52, p = 0.003); (r(s) = -0.31, p = 0.09).


CONCLUSIONS
Premenopausal FM patients tended to have lower BMD of hip than controls. Self reported pain correlated negatively to BMD. Thus, the severity of FM might have a negative impact on bone mass.
Jensen
B
B
Parker Institute, Frederiksberg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark. Bjensen@aab11.dk
Wittrup
I H
IH
Bliddal
H
H
Danneskiold-Samsøe
B
B
Faber
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015519:Bone Density; D005260:Female; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000737:chemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D010384:Pelvic Bones / Q000737:chemistry; D017697:Premenopause