Statin Therapy and Symptom Burden in Patients With Fibromyalgia: A Prospective Questionnaire Study

To evaluate the association between statin use and symptom severity, tender point count, fatigue, cognition, mood, and sleep issues in patients with fibromyalgia (FM).

Between May 2012 and November 2013, 668 patients with FM were surveyed. Patients were stratified into statin users and statin nonusers. Primary outcome was FM symptom severity (FIQ-R questionnaire) and tender point count. Secondary outcomes included fatigue (MFI-20), cognitive dysfunction (MASQ), anxiety (GAD-7), depression (PHQ-9), and sleep issues (SPI-II). Regression analysis assessed for differences in these clinical outcomes between statin users and statin nonusers and adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, ethnicity, tobacco use, opioid use, and neuropathic medication use.

Of the FM patients, 79 (11.8%) were statin users, whereas 589 (88.2%) reported no current statin use. Compared with the control cohort, statin users were older (55.0±11.3 years vs 46.2±12.9 years; P<.001) and had a higher body mass index (33.0±7.0 kg/m² vs 29.8±7.7 kg/m²; P=.001). Adjusted linear regression revealed no association between statin use and symptom severity (total FIQ-R scores, 57.7±18.3 vs 59.0±18.1; adjusted β coefficient, -0.4; 95% CI, -4.8 to 4.1; P=.871). There was also no association between statin use and tender point count (14.8±4.1 vs 14.5±4.2; adjusted β coefficient, 0.2; 95% CI, -0.8 to 1.2; P=.732). Secondary outcome analysis revealed no difference between statin users and statin nonusers in metrics measuring fatigue, cognition, anxiety, depression, and sleep problems.

Administration of statin therapy for at least 1 month is not a risk factor for worse symptom burden in patients with FM. Statin therapy should be offered to dyslipidemic FM patients with an appropriate medical indication to optimize their cardiovascular health.