Fibromyalgia, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, and Evaluation of SLE Activity

The study aimed to assess the prevalence of fibromyalgia (FM) and fibromyalgia-ness in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and its potential bias on the SLE Activity Questionnaire (SLAQ). Involving 23,321 patients with rheumatic diseases, the study found that FM was slightly more prevalent in SLE patients (22.1%) compared to those with arthritis (17.0%). The Symptom Intensity (SI) Scale showed minimal increase in SLE, and the correlation between SLAQ and the newly developed SLE Symptom Scale (SLESS) was strong (0.738). Certain symptoms like Raynaud’s phenomenon and hair loss were more associated with SLE, while others like fatigue and cognitive problems were more linked to FM. The study concluded that fibromyalgia-ness did not bias the SLESS or SLAQ, and the prevalence of FM in SLE was only minimally increased compared to arthritis patients.