Cross-sectional study about the effect of catastrophizing and anxiety to pain on functional capacity and consumption of drugs of fibromyalgia patients

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Fibromyalgia is a chronic disease characterized by musculoskeletal pain associated with other symptoms. Its etiology is unknown, diagnosis is clinical and treatments are symptomatic. How patients face the diagnosis and pain and how it appears to influence their evolution and treatment. Objective To evaluate the effect of catastrophising and anxiety to pain regarding functional ability and consumption of drugs in patients with fibromyalgia. Materials and methods Cross-sectional study of 50 patients fibromyalgia cited in rheumatology from January 1 to March 31 of 2014 and volunteers of the Association of Patients with Fibromyalgia Asturias. Clinical and epidemiological variables, Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire abbreviated (FIQ), Pain Catastrophising Scale (PCS) and Pain Anxiety Symptoms Scale (PASS-20) were recorded. Results The Spearman correlation between PCS-SP and PASS-20 was 0.67 ( p p  = 0.05) and between CIF and PCS-SP 0.03 meaningless statistics. The correlation with the consumption of drugs was: with PASS-20 0.41 ( p  = 0.003), with PCS-SP 0.49 ( p p  = 0.024). The correlation coefficient from the onset of symptoms was: −0.21 ( p  = 0.14) with CIF, −0.16 ( p  = 0.26) with PCS and −0.25 ( p  = 0.08) with PASS-20. Conclusions The levels of anxiety and catastrophising are strongly associated with each other, but both show a weak association with functional capacity. High scores on three scales represented an increase in consumption of drugs. A longer history of fibromyalgia appears to decrease the level of anxiety, catastrophising and functional impact.