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Related Experiment Videos

What use are fibromyalgia control points?

F Wolfe1

  • 1Arthritis Research Center and University of Kansas School of Medicine, Wichita 67214, USA. fwolfe@southwind.net

The Journal of Rheumatology
|March 28, 1998
PubMed
Summary
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Fibromyalgia control points are common and indicate a lower pain threshold, not necessarily more severe symptoms. These points may not be essential for FM diagnosis or assessment.

Area of Science:

  • Rheumatology
  • Pain Medicine
  • Clinical Assessment

Background:

  • Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic condition characterized by widespread pain and tenderness.
  • The role of 'control points' in FM diagnosis and symptom severity assessment remains debated.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the association between positive control tender points and the severity of fibromyalgia symptoms and distress.

Main Methods:

  • Eighty-four FM patients underwent tender point and dolorimetry examinations at active and control sites.
  • Patients completed validated scales for fatigue, sleep disturbance, anxiety, depression, pain, and functional disability.
  • The Rheumatology Distress Index (RDI) was calculated as a composite measure of distress.

Main Results:

Related Experiment Videos

  • Control point positivity was observed in 63.1% of FM patients.
  • Positive control points were linked to slightly higher symptom severity and distress (RDI increase of 9.2 units).
  • Increasing control tender points beyond the first did not correlate with significantly worse symptoms; many with positive control points had mild symptoms.

Conclusions:

  • Positive control points are frequent in FM and may signify a generally lower pain threshold rather than disproportionately severe symptoms.
  • Control point positivity should not exclude an FM diagnosis, and their clinical utility in diagnosis or assessment is questionable.
  • Manual tender point examination appears more valuable than dolorimetry for FM assessment.