ACR Meeting Abstracts

ACR Meeting Abstracts

  • Home
  • Meetings Archive
    • ACR Convergence 2020
    • 2020 ACR/ARP PRSYM
    • 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting
    • 2018 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting
    • 2017 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting
    • 2017 ACR/ARHP PRSYM
    • 2016-2009 Meetings
    • Download Abstracts
  • Keyword Index
  • Advanced Search
  • Your Favorites
    • Favorites
    • Login
    • Register
    • View and print all favorites
    • Clear all your favorites
  • Meeting Resource Center

Abstract Number: 1986

Using the BILAG to Assess the Activity of Lupus in Patients with Fibromyalgia

Robert S. Katz1, Jessica L. Polyak2 and Frank Leavitt1, 1Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, 2Rheumatology Associates S.C., Chicago, IL

Meeting: 2017 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting

Date of first publication: September 18, 2017

Keywords: BILAG, fibromyalgia and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)

  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print
Save to PDF
Session Information

Date: Tuesday, November 7, 2017

Session Title: Fibromyalgia, Soft Tissue Disorders, Regional and Specific Clinical Pain Syndromes Poster II

Session Type: ACR Poster Session C

Session Time: 9:00AM-11:00AM

Background/Purpose:  The BILAG is often used to assess the efficacy of lupus treatments, and is a commonly used tool in lupus drug trials. But the BILAG contains many symptoms, which are also present in fibromyalgia, and the presence of concomitant fibromyalgia in lupus patients may nullify the results of clinical drug trials.  Fibromyalgia patients may not respond well to the treatment and also have more drug side effects.

Methods:  Fibromyalgia patients, meeting the 2011 ACR criteria for the diagnosis, took an in-office survey listing some of the British Isles Lupus Activity Group (BILAG) lupus symptoms. The symptoms asked of fibromyalgia and non-fibromyalgia patients included anemia; mouth or nasal sources; numbness and tingling; persistent headache; chest pain; skin rash; hair loss; cognitive changes; arthritis; and colitis. They were asked to score the above symptoms using the following scale: 1, improving; 2, same; 3, worse; and 4, new.

Results:  The following symptoms frequently represented by fibromyalgia patients and are among those that are part of BILAG Lupus Activity Index: Anemia, Headache, Rash, “Arthritis”, Oral Ulcers, Chest Pain, Hair Loss, Colitis, Numbness, and Cognitive

 

Conclusion:  Many fibromyalgia patients reported that certain symptoms that are listed in the BILAG were present including mouth and oral ulcers; hair loss; numbness and tingling; cognitive changes; headaches; arthritis; and chest pain.

Concomitant lupus and fibromyalgia can nullify the results of lupus clinical drug trials and interfere with the accurate assessment of lupus.  Many fibromyalgia patients report some of the symptoms listed in the BILAG, which is considered a reliable instrument for assessing lupus disease activity, but if the presence of concomitant fibromyalgia is not assessed, the results of the BILAG may be invalid.  Using the 2010 ACR criteria guidelines and a simple one-page form for assessing the presence of fibromyalgia, concomitant fibromyalgia can be determined in lupus patients.  This would make the BILAG a more accurate assessment tool if used for pure lupus.  

 


Disclosure: R. S. Katz, None; J. L. Polyak, None; F. Leavitt, None.

To cite this abstract in AMA style:

Katz RS, Polyak JL, Leavitt F. Using the BILAG to Assess the Activity of Lupus in Patients with Fibromyalgia [abstract]. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2017; 69 (suppl 10). https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/using-the-bilag-to-assess-the-activity-of-lupus-in-patients-with-fibromyalgia/. Accessed February 25, 2021.
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print
Save to PDF

« Back to 2017 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting

ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/using-the-bilag-to-assess-the-activity-of-lupus-in-patients-with-fibromyalgia/

Advanced Search

Your Favorites

You can save and print a list of your favorite abstracts by clicking the “Favorite” button at the bottom of any abstract. View your favorites »

ACR Convergence: Where Rheumatology Meets. All Virtual. November 5-9.

ACR Pediatric Rheumatology Symposium 2020

© COPYRIGHT 2021 AMERICAN COLLEGE OF RHEUMATOLOGY

Wiley

  • Home
  • Meetings Archive
  • Advanced Search
  • Meeting Resource Center
  • Online Journal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Permissions Policies
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.
This site uses cookies: Find out more.