Spondyloarthritis & psoriatic arthritis
Prevalence and impact of suspected fibromyalgia on disease outcomes and treatment in axial spondyloarthritis: 10-year follow-up data from the DESIR cohort
Authors' conclusion
Suspected fibromyalgia is common and clinically relevant in axSpA. It is associated with higher disease burden, increased biologic use, and poorer treatment persistence.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) from the DESIR cohort; Fibromyalgia Rapid Screening Tool (FiRST) administered annually from year 7 to year 10
- Participants
- 663 patients
- Exposure
- Suspected fibromyalgia vs no suspected fibromyalgia
- Suspected fibromyalgian = 144
- Outcome
- Prevalence of suspected fibromyalgia (FiRST)
Methodological detailslongitudinal multiple imputation, mixed models for repeated measures, adjusted for TNF inhibitor (TNFi) use, Kaplan-Meier analyses, 10-year follow-up
- Longitudinal multiple imputation
- Mixed models for repeated measures, adjusted for TNFi use
- Kaplan-Meier analyses
- 10-year follow-up
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Estimated prevalence of suspected fibromyalgia
Suspected fibromyalgia
21.7%
144
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Permanent disability · 10 years
P < 0.001
Baseline features: HLA-B27 positivity and radiographic sacroiliitis
- Suspected fibromyalgia associated with lower prevalence of HLA-B27 positivity and radiographic sacroiliitis, but similar rates of MRI sacroiliitis and elevated CRP
Self-reported disease activity, health-related quality of life and disability · over 10 years
- Suspected fibromyalgia consistently associated with higher self-reported disease activity, poorer health-related quality of life and greater disability
- Mixed models for repeated measures, adjusted for TNFi use
TNFi initiation · over 10 years
- TNFi initiation more frequent with suspected fibromyalgia (vs without)
- 64.4% vs 46.1%
- Kaplan-Meier analyses
TNFi treatment persistence · 1 year
- TNFi persistence significantly lower with suspected fibromyalgia (vs without)
- 42.0% vs 64.2%
- Kaplan-Meier analyses
Original publication
Prevalence and impact of suspected fibromyalgia on disease outcomes and treatment in axial spondyloarthritis: 10-year follow-up data from the DESIR cohort. Ann Rheum Dis. Published 6 March 2026. doi:10.
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