[Primary fibromyalgia syndrome--diagnostic statistics from primary care]

The diagnosis of a primary fibromyalgia syndrome (PFS) which is supported mainly by clinical-anamnestic elements is, in many cases, finally established in the generalized stadium of the disease. It would be generally desirable to discover potentially endangered patients and to define "risk groups". During this study a case-by-case retrospective analysis of all available data sources (specialist's and hospital reports) has been conducted on 61 PFS-patients of a general practice. A further clarification diagnosis resulted in 75% of the cases suffering from general exhaustion. In over 50% of the examined patients diagnostic details referred to chronic lumbar and cervical spine syndromes. It is well possible that chronic cervical and lumbar spine as well as psychovegetative exhaustion syndromes predispose the generation of a PFS under consideration of a corresponding personality profile and other factors or it may even be a disease by itself. In every general practice the respective tender points of suspected patients should be examined and they should be questioned as to the basic symptoms of this disease.