1. Hazemeijer I, Rasker JJ. Fibromyalgia and the therapeutic domain. A philosophic study on the origins of fibromyalgia in a specific social setting. Rheumatology 2003;42:507–15. 2. Wolfe F. For example is not evidence: fibromyalgia and the law [editorial; comment]. Pain extent and diagnosis: development and validation of the regional pain scale in 12 799 patients with rheumatic disease. van Ri...

Fibromyalgia is a painful stress-related disorder. A key issue in fibromyalgia research is to investigate how distress could be converted into pain. The sympathetic nervous system is the main element of the stress response system. In animal models, physical trauma, infection, or distressing noise can induce abnormal connections between the sympathetic nervous system and the nociceptive system. ...

Introduction Fibromyalgia—a condition characterized by chronic widespread pain with multiple tender points, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and clinically significant functional impairment—is often associated with psychiatric comorbidity. The prevalence of fibromyalgia in the general population has been estimated to range from 2% among 20-year-old persons to 8% among 70-year-old persons, and the c...

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the efficacy of a brief, intense treatment program for fibromyalgia and to determine which patient characteristics are associated with a better treatment response. PATIENTS AND METHODS Two self-report measures, the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) and the Multidimensional Pain Inventory (MPI), were administered before patients completed treatment and 1 month afte...

To determine whether sleep disorders can cause a fibromyalgia syndrome, 30 patients with sleep apnoea syndrome were studied. All presented an important reduction in deep sleep stages (-93.1 (SD 17.9)% of stage IV and -77.2 (45.7)% of stage III) and frequent episodes of wakening ('arousals'), factors which are involved in fibromyalgia. One patient (3%) met the criteria for fibromyalgia; the esti...

BACKGROUND An association between irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) has been found. OBJECTIVE To compare the prevalence and test results for bacterial overgrowth between IBS and fibromyalgia. METHODS Subjects with independent fibromyalgia and IBS were compared with controls in a double blind study. Participants completed a questionnaire, and a l...

The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine cross-sectional relationships between perceived stress and fibromyalgia impact. Also, we sought to examine the mediating effects of key fibromyalgia symptoms including pain, fatigue, unrefreshing sleep, dyscognition, depressed mood and autonomic symptoms on this relationship. Data from 705 patients meeting Fibromyalgia Research Survey Criteri...

BACKGROUND Little is known about the effect of fibromyalgia on absence due to sickness in working populations. OBJECTIVE To examine the risk of absence due to sickness among employees with fibromyalgia. METHODS A prospective cohort study with 1-year follow-up of recorded and certified absence due to sickness after a survey of chronic diseases among 34 100 Finnish public sector employees (27...

Fibromyalgia is a chronic, musculoskeletal pain condition that predominately affects women. Although fibromyalgia is common and associated with substantial morbidity and disability, there are no US Food and Drug Administration-approved treatments. However, progress has been made in identifying pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments for fibromyalgia. Recent pharmacological treatment ...

BACKGROUND Patients with fibromyalgia have a high risk of temporary and permanent work disability. Little is known about the effects of fibromyalgia rehabilitation on work disability. OBJECTIVE To determine whether a specific fibromyalgia rehabilitation programme is superior to a non-specific musculoskeletal rehabilitation of patients with fibromyalgia in terms of work disability. METHODS A...