Fibromyalgia influences remission in people with rheumatoid arthritis

People with rheumatoid arthritis who are not in remission should be assessed for fibromyalgia, experts warn in Rheumatology International.

A total of 117 people with rheumatoid arthritis who were treated with conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs or biologics took part in the study. After six months, 24 volunteers were in remission.

The strongest predictors of not being in remission were having a comorbidity, fibromyalgia, and low scores in mental health. In fact, nobody who had fibromyalgia along with rheumatoid arthritis achieved remission and these people had worse scores in all the standard measures of disease activity.

The research team concludes: “To avoid over treatment, an assessment of fibromyalgia should be considered in rheumatoid arthritis patients who do not fulfill the remission criteria”.

Click here to read the original research.

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