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Rheumatology Advance Access published online on June 16, 2003
Rheumatology, doi:10.1093/rheumatology/keg356
Rheumatology © British Society for Rheumatology 2003; all rights reserved
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© 2003 Rheumatology 42 © British Society for Rheumatology 2003; all rights reserved

Original Papers

Bone health in patients with fibromyalgia

A. W. Al-Allaf 1, P. A. Mole 1, C. R. Paterson 1, and T. Pullar 2*

1 University Department of Medicine, Dundee, UK
2 Rheumatic Disease Unit, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, UK

* Corresponding author. E-mail: thomas.pullar{at}tuht.scot.nhs.uk.

Received 6 September 2002 ; accepted 3 March 2003

Abstract

Objectives. To determine whether women with fibromyalgia are at increased risk of developing osteoporosis or osteomalacia.

Methods. Forty premenopausal women with fibromyalgia and 37 age-matched female controls were studied. Broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA) and velocity of sound (VOS) were measured at the calcaneum and bone mineral density was measured at the forearm and lumbar spine using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Serum calcium, alkaline phosphatase, {gamma}-glutamyl transferase, 25-hydroxyvitamin D and plasma viscosity were measured in all subjects and parathyroid hormone was measured in subjects recruited in the latter part of the study.

Results. Seventeen patients with fibromyalgia syndrome and seven controls had 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations <20 nmol/l (P < 0.015) and in three FMS patients serum parathyroid hormone was raised. Bone density in fibromyalgia patients was slightly lower at the mid-distal forearm but comparable to that in controls at other sites.

Conclusions. There is no reason to recommend routine bone densitometry in fibromyalgia patients. However, vitamin D subnutrition is common in these patients and this should be sought.

Key words: Fibromyalgia, Bone density, Vitamin D, Osteoporosis.
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