Ferric carboxymaltose therapy reduces pain and improves the quality of life in female patients with fibromyalgia

H. Hamarat, S. Gürcü, B.K. Kıvanç, A.E. Aydemir

Department of Internal Medicine, Eskişehir City Hospital, Eskişehir, Turkey. hklncal@hotmail.com

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• Rheumatology

OBJECTIVE: The efficacy of treatments for fibromyalgia is limited and many factors have been identified to trigger the current complaints. Iron deficiency anemia is one of these factors. We aimed to re-evaluate the quality of life of fibromyalgia patients with the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire after ferric carboxymaltose treatment.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study was conducted on 90 female patients older than 18 years of age with ferritin <60 mcg/dL who presented to the Internal Medicine outpatient clinic in a large tertiary care hospital in Eskişehir, Turkey, with FM symptoms. Patients were selected from women who had previously received oral iron therapy for at least 3 months and whose ferritin could not be increased to >60 mcg/dL. Patients who met the 2010 criteria of the American College of Rheumatology for fibromyalgia were included in the study. Patient characteristics and laboratory parameters were recorded. The Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ1, FIQ2) was applied and compared before and after IV iron treatment.

RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 40±12 years (18-83). There was a significant change in the total score (FIQ1 mean: 54, FIQ2 mean: 21) and all parameters of the FIQ questionnaire after ferric carboxymaltose treatment (p=0.000).

CONCLUSIONS: Ferric carboxymaltose treatment reduces pain levels and improves the quality of life in women with fibromyalgia.

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