Fibromyalgia & musculoskeletal pain
Somatization differentiates fibromyalgia from low back pain: a comparative, cross-sectional cohort study
Authors' conclusion
Somatization stood out from all other somatic, psychosocial and coping dimensions and sociodemographics as the one significant specific predictor distinguishing fibromyalgia from low back pain. The fibromyalgia phenotype is characterized by the generalization of painful loci but equally prominently by generalized somatoform symptoms.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with FM or low back pain in the Zurzach Interdisciplinary Pain Programme
- Participants
- 131 vs 262
- Exposure
- FM vs low back pain
- Fibromyalgian = 131
- Low back painn = 262reference
- Outcome
- Differentiation of FM from low back pain by somatization, depression, anxiety, fatigue, coping, pain, physical and social function, or sociodemographics
Methodological detailscomparative, cohort, binomial logistic regression
- Comparative
- Cohort
- Binomial logistic regression
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
SMD (SCL-90R Somatization)
−0.971
largest difference, worse health in FM
SMD (Quantification Inventory for Somatoform Syndromes (QUISS) Number of somatoform symptoms)
−0.960
Somatization score differences (SMD)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Logistic regression model differentiating FM from low back pain: predictors
- The two somatization scales (SCL-90R and QUISS), both OR, P ≤ 0.002
- 0.966
- Female sex, OR, P < 0.001
- 3.396
Model performance for FM (somatization scales plus female sex)
- Cases predicted correctly (accuracy)
- 74.3%
- PPV
- 65.3%
- Specificity
- 87.0%
Model accuracy in female subsample (n = 280)
- Accuracy; model remained stable
- 71.9%
Original publication
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