Abstract
BackgroundPatients with fibromyalgia often feel disabled in the performance of daily activities. Psychological factors seem to play a pronounced disabling role in fibromyalgia.The objectives of the study are: Firstly, to investigate contributing factors for disability in fibromyalgia. Secondly, to study psychological distress in patients with fibromyalgia as compared to other nonspecific pain syndromes. And finally, to explore the impact of fibromyalgia on a patient's quality of life.MethodsIn this cross sectional study, explaining factors for disability were studied based on a regression analysis with gender, mental health, physical and social functioning as independent variables. For the assessment of disability in fibromyalgia the FIQ was used. The levels of psychological distress in patients with fibromyalgia, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) and chronic low back pain (CLBP) were compared based on scores on the Symptom Checklist (SCL90). Quality of life of patients with fibromyalgia was compared with scores (SF36) of both patients with fibromyalgia and other health conditions as derived from the literature.ResultsDisability in fibromyalgia seemed best explained by a patients mental health condition (β = -0.360 p = 0.02). The level of psychological distress was higher in patients with fibromyalgia as compared to patients with CRPS or CLBP (p < 0.01). The impact of fibromyalgia on quality of life appeared to be high as compared to the impact of other health conditions.ConclusionPatients with fibromyalgia report a considerable impact on their quality of life and their perceived disability level seems influenced by their mental health condition. In comparison with patients with other pain conditions psychological distress is higher.
Highlights
Patients with fibromyalgia often feel disabled in the performance of daily activities
The level of psychological distress was higher in patients with fibromyalgia as compared to patients with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) or chronic low back pain (CLBP) (p < 0.01)
Patients with fibromyalgia report a considerable impact on their quality of life and their perceived disability level seems influenced by their mental health condition
Summary
Patients with fibromyalgia often feel disabled in the performance of daily activities. To study psychological distress in patients with fibromyalgia as compared to other nonspecific pain syndromes. To explore the impact of fibromyalgia on a patient's quality of life. 41% of the male and even 48% of the female Dutch population aged over 25 years reported to have at least one musculoskeletal disease [2] Within this survey, localized pain problems, such as "tendinitis" or "capsulitis" were most frequently reported. The underlying mechanism of fibromyalgia is still unidentified, its especially challenging to find out what makes that patients with fibromyalgia feel disabled in such a high degree and perceive such a high impact of their health problem on their quality of life. A prominent explanatory model for pain related disability in which biopsychosocial factors are integrated is the fear-avoidance model [5]. The construct of fear of injury is applicable in patients with fibromyalgia, the mean score on fear of injury of patients with fibromyalgia is lower and the impact of fear on disability seems less high as compared to the impact of fear in other pain syndromes (such as work-related upper extremity disorders, CLBP, osteoarthritis) [6,7]
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