Mental Symptoms are Related with Impact of the Disease and Impairment in Quality of Life in Female Patients with Fibromyalgia

Abstract

Objective: Diagnostic criteria of fibromyalgia are revised in 2010 by including mental symptoms and excluding tender points. Although dominance of pain still prevails on the diagnostic criteria, quality of life (QoL) surveys showed that fibromyalgia is strongly associated with mental components of health status, i. e. depression, anxiety and alexithymia. It is aimed to assess determinants of QoL and impact of the disease in patients with fibromyalgia. Methods: Fifty seven female outpatients (mean age +/- SD: 40.93 +/- 6.85; age range: 24-56) with fibromyalgia were enrolled. Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire, Short Form-36 QoL survey, Beck Depression Inventory, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale were the measurement tools. Results: Predictor of impact of the disease was alexithymia, particularly, difficulty in identifying feelings (DIF) domain. Predictor of physical health was age, whereas predictors of mental health were depression and trait anxiety. Discussion: Alexithymia, particularly DIF domain may be a more specific predictor of fibromyalgia symptoms, whereas depression and anxiety are more burdensome mental symptoms for fibromyalgia. Pain and mental symptoms are seemed to be processed separately. Targeting mental symptoms provide better treatment outcomes, thus multidisciplinary approaches including psychiatry are necessary.