Fibromyalgia frequency in hepatitis B carriers.
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.
Adak
Burhan
B
Department of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, University of Yüzüncü Yil., Van, Turkey.
Tekeoğlu
Ibrahim
I
Ediz
Levent
L
Budancamanak
Mustafa
M
Yazgan
Turan
T
Karahocagil
Kasim
K
Demirel
Adnan
A
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
D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase