[Fibromyalgia syndrome (fibrositis): as frequent as it is unknown]

Fibromyalgia syndrome is characterized by generalized musculoskeletal pain and abnormal sensitivity to palpation of characteristic myofascial areas. We evaluated its prevalence in the 673 patients seen as first consultations in a hospital rheumatological outpatient clinic during one year, and we made an automatized review of the Spanish literature about this condition in the last 17 years. We found 70 cases (10.4%) of fibromyalgia syndrome, none of which had been referred to the hospital with this diagnosis. We report their clinical features. In our bibliographical search we found only one article describing this condition. We conclude that it is a common clinical syndrome, unknown in nonspecialized milieus. Generally, the patients are inadequately diagnosed and treated, and/or referred to hospital.