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Increased Risk of Stroke in Patients With Fibromyalgia: A Population-BASED Cohort Study
Chun-Hung Tseng1, Jiunn-Horng Chen, Yu-Chiao Wang
1From the Department of Neurology, China Medical University Hospital (C-HT); Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Science and School of Medicine, College of Medicine, China Medical University (C-HT, J-HC, C-HK); Department of Internal Medicine (J-HC); Management Office for Health Data (Y-CW); College of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung (Y-CW); Department of Nuclear Medicine, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung (M-CL); Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan (C-HK).
Fibromyalgia (FM) significantly increases stroke risk, even without other health conditions. This research highlights FM as a key risk factor, especially for younger individuals, emphasizing the need for proactive stroke prevention in FM patients.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Rheumatology
Background:
- Neuropsychiatric conditions may contribute to stroke via inflammation and atherosclerosis.
- A notable percentage of stroke patients, particularly younger ones, lack conventional risk factors.
- Fibromyalgia (FM), a neuropsychosomatic disorder, warrants investigation for its potential role in stroke development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between fibromyalgia (FM) and an increased risk of stroke.
- To determine if FM is an independent risk factor for stroke development.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective cohort study utilizing a claims dataset from Taiwan's National Health Insurance database.
- Inclusion of 47,279 patients diagnosed with FM and 189,112 age- and sex-matched controls.
- Stroke risk assessment using Cox proportional hazards regression analysis.
Main Results:
- Patients with FM exhibited a 1.25-fold higher overall stroke risk compared to controls.
- Even in the absence of comorbidities, FM patients had a significantly higher stroke risk (aHR = 1.44).
- The relative risk of stroke was substantially elevated (2.26-fold) in younger FM patients (age <35).
Conclusions:
- This study provides the first evidence linking fibromyalgia (FM) to an increased risk of stroke.
- Fibromyalgia should be recognized as a significant risk factor for stroke.
- Close monitoring and aggressive stroke prevention strategies are crucial for patients with FM, especially younger individuals.
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