Longterm effects of fibromyalgia on everyday life. A study of 56 patients

Fifty-six patients with fibromyalgia, previously studied in 1984, were followed up after five years, using a mail questionnaire and a global health assessment instrument, the Sickness Impact Profile. The aim was to investigate the patients' perception of their symptoms and to describe the consequences for everyday life. Half of the patients reported that pain, fatigue and sleep problems had increased, less than 20% reported improvements, and 30-40%, no change. In spite of this, 25% reported that their overall condition had improved. Motor tasks were somewhat less difficult to manage. The symptoms had severe consequences for the patients' ability to manage everyday life activities. The study confirms that fibromyalgia, once established, is a non-remitting syndrome. Also, the social consequences were constant over time.