Psychosomatic syndromes in fibromyalgia

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Psychiatry
• Psychosomatic Medicine

Background:

• Fibromyalgia (FM) and Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) are chronic conditions often accompanied by psychological distress.
• Psychosomatic symptoms, anxiety, and depression are frequently observed in patients with chronic illnesses.
• The prevalence and impact of psychosomatic syndromes in FM versus RA require further comparative investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the prevalence of psychosomatic symptoms in patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia (FM) versus rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
• To evaluate the levels of anxiety and depression in patients with FM and RA.
• To identify the association between psychosomatic syndromes and psychological distress in FM patients.

Main Methods:

• Seventy-six women with FM and 80 with RA were assessed using the Diagnostic Criteria for Psychosomatic Research (DCPR) interview.
• Psychological distress was evaluated using the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-Y).
• Statistical analyses were performed to compare symptom prevalence and distress levels between the two patient groups.

Main Results:

• Fibromyalgia patients demonstrated significantly higher levels of anxiety and depression compared to RA patients (p<0.001).
• All FM patients presented at least one DCPR syndrome, compared to 79% of RA patients.
• FM patients with psychosomatic syndromes exhibited elevated psychological distress, including anxiety and depression.

Conclusions:

• Patients with fibromyalgia experience a greater prevalence of psychological distress and psychosomatic syndromes than those with rheumatoid arthritis.
• Psychosomatic symptoms in FM are strongly associated with high levels of anxiety and depression.
• Clinicians should consider the emotional distress linked to physical complaints for developing targeted interventions for FM patients.