Fibromyalgia (FM) is a complex syndrome that is characterized by lasting and diffuse chronic musculoskeletal pain, derived from non-inflammatory causes and classically associated with the presence of specific tender points. However, studies have highlighted other important symptoms associated with a lower quality of life (QOL) in FM, such as sleep disturbances and alexithymia. This study aimed to investigate the pain, sleep and alexithymia patterns of FM patients treated in a Brazilian tertiary center.
20 patients with FM who were followed-up in the Rheumatology outpatient clinic of a Brazilian tertiary center (Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto - FAMERP, São Paulo, Brazil) and 20 patients without FM from other outpatient services of the FAMERP completed a clinical and socio-demographic questionnaire, the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and the SF-36 (WHOQOL).
The patients with FM presented worse performances in all QOL dimensions of the SF-36 and higher scores on the PSQI (p=0.01), and the TAS-20 (p=0.02). Patients with FM also scored significantly higher in all specific domains of PSQI and TAS-20.
The present data were in accordance with literature, disclosing a worse performance of patients with FM on pain impact, sleep complains and more presence of alexithymia.
Studies have disclosed the presence of important and frequently underdiagnosed symptoms beyond pain complaints in FM, such as sleep complaints and alexithymia, and a better knowledge of such disturbances might improve FM patients' approach and treatment.