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Meta-Analysis
. 2023 Aug 30;24(1):692.
doi: 10.1186/s12891-023-06821-z.

Prevalence of fibromyalgia syndrome in Saudi Arabia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Yasser Bawazir  1
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Prevalence of fibromyalgia syndrome in Saudi Arabia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Yasser Bawazir. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. .

Abstract

Background: The current systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to estimate the prevalence of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) in Saudi Arabia.

Methods: A PRISMA systematic search appraisal and meta-analysis were conducted. A systematic literature search of English publications in PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, Web of Science, MEDLINE, and Google Scholar, was conducted up to December 2022. Generic, methodological and statistical data was extracted from the eligible studies. Meta-analysis was done using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis Software. The effect size estimates were calculated using the Fail-Safe N test. The funnel plot, Begg's and Mazumdar's rank correlation tests were employed to find any potential bias. The strength of the association between two variables is assessed using Kendall's tau. A fixed-effects model for the meta-analysis.

Results: The literature search yielded a total of 2479 studies. Eight papers were included in the final analysis with sample size ranging 40 to 1686. All studies were cross-sectional except two, which were retrospective. The total number of the participants recruited in the included articles was 4967 (1794 males and 3173 females); with age ranged between 20 and 79 years. There was high heterogeneity among studies articles (Q = 270.187; p-value 0.001); the tau value was 0.179. The pooled event rates and the 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the prevalence of FMS in Saudi Arabia in a fixed-effects model was 13.4% (95% CI: 0.124-0.144).

Conclusion: Our results clearly demonstrate that FMS is highly prevalent (13.4%) in Saudi Arabia. It also more common among women. The high prevalence of FMS in Saudi Arabia should be seriously considered and planners should take steps to reduce it.

Keywords: Fibromyalgia Syndrome; Meta-analysis; Prevalence; Saudi Arabia; Systematic review.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Literature search and review flowchart for selection of articles
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
The distribution of true effects
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Forest plot for the prevalence of FMS in Saudi Arabia from the fixed and random-effects analysis
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Publication bias for the prevalence of FMS in Saudi Arabia
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Pooled prevalence of FMS in Saudi Arabia according to male participants
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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