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Updated: Jun 22, 2026
A Randomized, Sham-Controlled Trial of Cranial Electrical Stimulation for Fibromyalgia Pain and Physical Function, Using Brain Imaging Biomarkers
Published on: January 5, 2024
Increased frequency of gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with fibromyalgia and associated factors: a comparative
Omer Nuri Pamuk1, Hasan Umit, Orbay Harmandar
1Trakya University Medical Faculty, Department of Rheumatology, Edirne, Turkey. omernpamuk@yahoo.com
Objective:
To determine the frequency and severity of gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms in patients with fibromyalgia (FM).
Methods:
We included 152 women with FM (mean age 45.4 +/- 12.2 yrs), 98 women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA; mean age 45.5 +/- 12.3 yrs), and 60 healthy female controls (mean age 44 +/- 11.3 yrs). All patients were questioned about the severity of their chronic widespread pain, symptoms of FM, symptoms of dyspepsia, using a visual analog scale (VAS), and anxiety-depression scale. Patients were asked self-reported (yes/no), symptom-based (>/= 2 criteria) constipation and severity of constipation questions, and about the severity of quality of life (QOL) disturbance secondary to dyspepsia and constipation.
Results:
Patients with FM had higher symptom severities for belching, reflux, bloating, sour taste, and vomiting than patients with RA and controls (all p values < 0.01). Patients with FM had significantly more dyspepsia-related QOL disturbances than the other 2 groups (p < 0.01). FM and RA patients had more frequent self-reported constipation than controls (respectively, 42.1%, 48%, 21.7%; p < 0.01). The frequency of symptom-based constipation was significantly higher in the RA group (49%) than in FM (29.6%) and control groups (23.3%) (p < 0.01). Constipation-related QOL disturbance was significantly higher in patients with FM than in controls (p < 0.01).
Conclusion:
In patients with FM, the severity scores of dyspepsia symptoms, constipation, and dyspepsia-related QOL disturbance were higher than in patients with RA and controls. The higher GI symptom severity in patients with FM might have negative effects on their QOL.
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