Relationships between respiratory disturbance and health status in fibromyalgia patients

Fibromyalgia is a debilitating syndrome characterised by diffuse and chronic musculoskeletal pain associated with fatigue, sleep disturbance, impaired cognitive and physical function, and psychological distress. These symptoms have the potential to impact overall health and can explain the presence of respiratory disturbance. The aim of this descriptive study was to explore the relationship between respiratory disturbance and health status among fibromyalgia patients. This descriptive study followed the STROBE guidelines and had an ethic registration number: 1990/CEIH/2021. Pulmonary function was determined with forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1). The strength of respiratory muscles was determined by maximal expiratory pressure (MEP) and minimal inspiratory pressure (MIP). Health status was measured with EuroQol-5D. Peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) was also assessed. A total of 23 women were included in this study with an average age of 56.78±8.70 years and a pain intensity of 7.05±1.49. Participants presented a MEP of 72,14±24.90 cmH2O, and a MIP of 44.41±18.29 cmH2O. The FEV1 average value was 2.14 litres, being lower than the normal average values (3.25-2.5 l.). PEFR reported a score of 332.73 litres per minute, which are under the normal flow score range (400-700 l.p.m.) When analysing the correlation between health status and respiratory disturbance, a positive correlation was found between EQ-D5 and PEFR (p<0.05, r=-0.312), and MEP (p<0.05, r=-0.312). Our results showed that fibromyalgia patients experience a diminished health status. Those respiratory disturbances contribute to the overall burden of the condition, increasing the challenges faced by fibromyalgia patients.