Analysis of clinical and psychological characteristics in 250 patients with fibromyalgia / 中华内科杂志

ABSTRACT

To analyze the clinical and psychological characteristics of fibromyalgia (FM), so as to further understand and improve the capability of identifying FM. The clinical data of 250 FM patients diagnosed in the outpatient clinic of the Department of Rheumatology, the First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, from December 2019 to September 2021, were collected and analyzed. The patients aged 40 (31.0, 52.3) years, including 188 female patients (75.2%) and 62 male patients (24.8%). There was a statistically significant difference in age comparison between female [42.5 (33.0,54.0) years] and male patients [32.5 (27.8,43.5) years] ( P<0.001). The score of pain degree was 6 (4, 8), and [7 (5, 8)] of female patients was higher than [6 (4, 7)] of the male patients ( P=0.040). The widespread pain index (WPI) was 13 (10,15). The regions with high pain incidence were left shoulder girdle (87.2%, 218/250), right shoulder girdle (86.8%, 217/250), upper back (86.4%, 216/250), neck (79.6%, 199/250) and lower back (77.6%, 194/250) and etc. The incidence of chest pain in female patients (55.3%, 104/188) was lower than that in male patients (75.8%, 47/62) ( P=0.004). The symptom severity scale (SSS) score was 8 (7-10). 74.6% (185/248) suffered from anxiety and 77.5% (193/249) suffered from depression in 249 patients. Female patients were more common in FM patients than male patients, the median age of female patients was older than that of male patients, and the median score of pain severity of female patients was higher than male patients. Shoulders girdle, upper back, neck and lower back were the most frequently reported pain regions, and the incidence of chest pain in female patients was lower than that in male patients. The incidence of major non-painful symptoms was high and the proportion with anxiety or depression was high. The above clinical features are very helpful for early diagnosis of FM.