New-Onset Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain Following COVID-19 Infection Fulfils the Fibromyalgia Clinical Syndrome Criteria: A Preliminary Study.

Khoja, O.; Mulvey, M.; Astill, S.; Tan, AL.; Sivan, M.

New-Onset Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain Following COVID-19 Infection Fulfils the Fibromyalgia Clinical Syndrome Criteria: A Preliminary Study.

All Authors

Khoja, O.

Mulvey, M.

Astill, S.

Tan, AL.

Sivan, M.

LTHT Author

Khoja, Omar
Tan, Ai Lyn
Sivan, Manoj
Sivan, Manoj

LTHT Department

Rheumatology
Musculoskeletal
NIHR Leeds Biomedical Research Centre
Long COVID Rehabilitation Service

Publication Date

2024

Item Type

Journal Article

Abstract

New-onset chronic musculoskeletal (MSK) pain (>3 months duration) is a common symptom of post-COVID-19 syndrome (PCS). This study aimed to characterise new-onset chronic MSK pain in patients with PCS and its overlap with Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS). We enrolled patients with new-onset chronic MSK pain post-COVID-19 and assessed the nature of the pain and associated symptoms using the C19-YRS (Yorkshire Rehabilitation Scale). The FMS assessment was conducted as part of a standard clinical examination using the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 2010 criteria: (1) Widespread Pain Index (WPI) >= 7 and symptoms severity (SS) score >= 5, or WPI between 3 and 6 and SS score >= 9, (2) symptoms consistent for at least 3 months, and (3) no alternative diagnosis. Of the eighteen patients (average age 49.6 (SD 11.8) years; BMI 31.7 (SD 8.6)), twelve were female. The average symptom duration was 27.9 (SD 6.97) months post-infection. Thirteen patients (72.2%) met the FMS criteria, with an average WPI score of 8.8 and an average SS score of 8.2, indicating a high level of pain and significant quality of life impacts. These findings support the hypothesis that FMS may develop as a long-term sequela of a viral infection, underscoring the need for further research into post-viral long-term conditions.