High frequency of hysterectomies and appendectomies in fibromyalgia compared with rheumatoid arthritis: A pilot study

We investigated, in retrospect, if there were differences in the frequency and types of abdominal surgery between newly diagnosed female fibromyalgia (n = 80) and rheumatoid arthritis (n = 47) patients performed before the fo rmal diagnosis. There was no difference in the total number of abdominal op erations between both groups. In the rheumatoid arthritis group more cholec ystectomies (p = 0.01) were performed, probably due to the older age of the se patients (58.5 vs 48.5 years). However, in the fibromyalgia group there were more hysterectomies (p = 0.04) and appendectomies (p = 0.05) than in t he rheumatoid arthritis group.