Tender points, depressive and functional symptoms: comparison between fibromyalgia and major depression

The degree of symptomatic overlap between fibromyalgia and major depression should be estimated by assessing the amount of local tenderness and the frequency and severity of depressive and functional symptoms. Tender points were assessed by palpation and symptoms by psychometric scales in 30 patients with fibromyalgia and 26 patients with major depression. The patients with fibromyalgia had markedly more tender points (16.5) than the depressive patients (1.3). In contrast, depressive and functional symptoms were present in both groups of patients, and some depressive patients (26%) also suffered from clinical pain. An increased sensitivity to pressure pain clearly distinguishes fibromyalgia from depression even if there is an overlap of other symptoms.