Patients with fibromyalgia more likely to experience anxiety

Patients with fibromyalgia were more likely to show symptoms of anxiety than patients with other rheumatic diseases, according to findings by Robert S. Katz, MD, and Frank Leavitt, PhD.

The researchers studied 191 patients from a rheumatic disorder clinic. Fibromyalgia (FM) was present in 79 patients, and 112 patients had other rheumatic conditions. Although the two patient groups were closely matched in age (51.2 and 51.9 years old, respectively), the 0.7-year difference was considered statistically significant, according to the researchers.

Robert S. Katz, MD

All patients completed a nine-item anxiety scale of the Profile of Moods States and the symptom review section of the American College of Rheumatology patient forms, a symptom checklist covering 13 organs.

Patients with FM scored higher on eight of nine anxiety areas, whereas the non-FM group scored in the range of normal, healthy individuals. Illness intensity was also higher in the patients with FM. After adjusting for illness intensity, anxiety remained higher in the FM group, eliminating the greater number of medical problems as a causal factor for anxiety, according to the researchers. – by Shirley Pulawski

Reference:

Katz RS, et al. Paper #1102. Presented at: American College of Rheumatology Annual Meeting. Nov. 14-19, 2014; Boston.

Disclosure: The authors have no relevant financial disclosures.