Relationship between fibromyalgia features and smoking.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to examine a possible relationship between smoking and fibromyalgia features among 233 female patients with fibromyalgia syndrome.


METHODS
Data on clinical and psychological features were collected by a protocol. Smoking status was evaluated by a question inquiring about the packs of cigarettes smoked per day. Differences between the smokers and non-smokers were tested by Mann Whitney U test. To adjust data for age and education, a partial correlation test was used. A p value of < or = 0.01 was accepted as the level of significance.


RESULTS
Fifty-one patients (21.9%) smoked. After adjustment for age and education, significantly positive relationship was found between smoking and pain, patient global severity, functional disability, and numbness. There was no difference between smokers and non-smokers for fatigue, morning fatigue, sleep difficulties, tender points (TP), depression, anxiety and stress.


CONCLUSIONS
Smokers reported significantly more pain, numbness, patient global severity, and functional difficulties than non-smokers. There was no significant difference between smokers and non-smokers for fatigue and TP.
Yunus
Muhammad B
MB
Section of Rheumatology, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria, IL 61656, USA. yunus@uic.edu
Arslan
Sule
S
Aldag
Jean C
JC
D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011581:Psychological Tests; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology