Family Practice, Vol 14, 242-248, Copyright © 1997 by World Organization of Family Doctors
R Ruiz Moral, M Munoz Alamo, L Perula de Torres and M Aguayo Galeote
OBJECTIVES: We aimed to describe the clinical and psycho-socio-familial
features of patients with widespread chronic musculoskeletal pain
(WCMP)/fibromyalgia (FM) in primary care settings. To detect differences
and similarities between both 'entities'. METHODS: An observational study
was carried out with a newcoming clinical case series. Five family medicine
surgeries were included. Patients aged from 18 to 50 attended the clinic to
fulfil pain criteria for WCMP. Differences between WCMP and FM were based
on the presence of 'tender points'. Measurements were made of general
characteristics, occupation, pain description, symptoms, tender points,
radiographic and laboratory studies, and questionnaires to assess
self-rated health (NHP), social support (DUKE), family support
(Family-APGAR), and psychopathological traits (CAQ). RESULTS: We identified
48 patients (23 WCMP;25 FM) with a mean age of 38.4 +/- 8.4; 95.8% were
females. The back was the anatomical place most frequently reported (93.7%)
and 34.8% of the patients pointed out the nape as being the most painful
place. The average duration of pain was 6.7 +/- 7 years. Unsteadiness
(72.9%), impairment in symptoms with weather (70.8%), with activity (70.8%)
and general fatigue (68.8%) were the most frequently detected symptoms.
'Pain' (59.5) and 'energy' (54.4) were the scales of the NHP test most
affected. Half of the patients were poorly satisfied with the responses of
their families to their needs and over 60% showed psychopathological
traits. The patients with FM reported worse self-rated health than those
with WCMP; the number of years of pain (4.9 versus 8.2) and the number of
symptoms (6.6 versus 8.9) were both greater in patients with FM.
CONCLUSIONS: The clinical and psychological features of patients with
WCMP-FM are similar to those reported by others. The self-rated health
reported by these patients is poor and closer to that reported by patients
suffering other chronic osteoarticular diseases. These results support the
hypothesis that FM should be considered as more advanced clinical stage of
the widespread musculoskeletal pain continuum.
ORIGINAL CLINICAL RESEARCH
Biopsychosocial features of patients with widespread chronic musculoskeletal pain in family medicine clinics
Trainees' Teaching Program, 'Unidad Docente de Medicina de Familia' (UDMFyC) de Cordoba, Centro de Salud de Occidente, Cordoba, Spain.
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  M. Friedrich, J. Hahne, and F. Wepner A Controlled Examination of Medical and Psychosocial Factors Associated With Low Back Pain in Combination With Widespread Musculoskeletal Pain Physical Therapy, August 1, 2009; 89(8): 786 - 803. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|