title: Fibromyalgia frequency in hepatitis B carriers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fibromyalgia (FM) is characterized by diffuse musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, morning stiffness, and sleep disturbance. Chronic viral infections may trigger FM symptoms.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In this study, we aimed to evaluate whether there was an association between HBsAg seropositivity and fibromyalgia syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty hepatitis B carriers (HBsAg positivity and anti-HBs negativity in sera for at least 6 months) and 50 age- and sex-matched HbsAg-negative control subjects were enrolled in this study. The hepatitis B carriers with normal or slightly elevated aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were recruited from the infectious diseases outpatient clinic and the control group was recruited from the physical medicine and rehabilitation outpatient clinic. The relationship between groups was calculated by independent Student t test, chi-squared test, and Fisher exact test for comparing proportions. Alpha criterion for significance was set at P < 0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no statistically significant difference between the groups according to sex, mean age, body mass index, serum ALT, and AST levels (P > 0.05). FM syndrome and FM-associated symptoms were much more prevalent in the hepatitis B group (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study suggests that chronic hepatitis B carriage appears to increase the risk of FM and many of the typically associated symptoms. Whether this association is related to altered liver function, viral infection, concerns associated with chronic disease, or other factors, physicians should be aware of this apparent association.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, University of Yüzüncü Yil., Van, Turkey.
authors.forename: Burhan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Adak
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tekeoğlu
authors.forename: Levent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ediz
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Budancamanak
authors.forename: Turan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yazgan
authors.forename: Kasim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Karahocagil
authors.forename: Adnan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Demirel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D002353:Carrier State; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase