Symptomatic joint hypermobility and variants of connective tissue disorder were found to influence fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome/ myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME)

This observational study aimed to comprehend the significance of hypermobility to symptoms in fibromyalgia and CFS/ME.

The study included 63 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of fibromyalgia and/or CFS/ME and 24 healthy individuals as controls. Symptomatic hypermobility was evaluated.

From a research perspective, fibromyalgia and CFS/ME are almost indistinguishable as considerable overlap was witnessed in patients of fibromyalgia and CFS/ME. About 81% of patients fulfilled the Brighton criteria for hypermobility syndrome (odds ratio 7.08) and 18% fulfilled the 2017 hypermobile Ehlers–Danlos syndrome standards. Symptom levels were significantly predicted via the hypermobility scores.

Symptomatic hypermobility is mainly pertinent to fibromyalgia and CFS/ME, and the results indicate high rates of underdiagnosis. These poorly understood disorders negatively affect the quality of life in people suffering from these conditions.