Fibromyalgia and mental health in rheumatoid arthritis: a cross-sectional prevalence study from the COVID-19 pandemic

OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated the prevalence of fibromyalgia (FM), anxiety and depression in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and their effects on the clinical parameters of RA during the COVID-19 pandemic. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, outpatient clinic, observational, non-interventional. SETTING: Single-centre, tertiary care, multispecialty, service and research hospital, north-central India. PARTICIPANTS: Adult patients with RA, controls. RESULTS: This cross-sectional study included 200 patients with RA diagnosed with the American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism 2010 (ACR) criteria and 200 controls. FM was diagnosed using the revised 2016 ACR FM Criteria. Disease activity, quality of life and functional disability in patients with RA were assessed using multiple Disease Activity Scores. The presence of depression and anxiety was determined using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. FM was present in 31% of patients with RA compared with 4% of controls in our study. Patients with RA with FM were older, predominantly females with longer disease duration, and more likely to be on steroids. Patients with RA with FM had a higher disease activity, and none of our RA with FM patients were in remission. The multivariable analysis found FM to be an independent predictor of the Simplified Disease Activity Index for RA. Patients with RA with FM had worse functional ability and poorer quality of life. The prevalence of anxiety and depression was 12.5% and 30%, significantly higher in RA with FM patients. CONCLUSION: During the COVID-19 pandemic, around one-third of our study patients had FM and depression, significantly higher than pre-COVID-19 times. Thus, mental health assessment should be incorporated into the routine management of patients with RA.