Chest pain and fibromyalgia

الملخص EN

Subjects : This study was conducted on 50 patients 34 males and 16 females.

Their mean age was 47 years.

All of them had chest pain for an average of 6 months.

They were evaluated for fibromyalgia using the 1990 American Collage of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria.

A control healthy group comprised 10 males and 10 females whose mean age was 45 years.

They were assessed for tender points.

Methods : All patients and comrols were subjected to full clinical history, locomotory examination laboratory investigations [ESR, RF, SGOT, SGPT, CPK etc.] and plain X-rays for the cervical and dorsal spines as well as exercise ECG, testing.

Echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging of the cervical and thoracic spines and gastroscopy were also performed in some patients.

Results : Eighteen out of the fifty patients (36 %) with chest pain had fibromyalgia.

The count of tender points in those patients was highly significant than in the control group (p > 0.005).

Ischemic heart disease was found in 20 patient (40 %) while other causes of chest pain included chest wall syndrome 4 patients (8 %) reflux esophagitis 2 patients (4 %) and Tietz`s syndrome 6 patients (12 %).

Conclusion : Primary fibromyalgia should be suspected in patients with atypical chest pain.

Consultants familial with this condition can be helpful in initiating and appropriating an early treatment program, which can greatly improve the symptoms and reduce overall medical costs.