Psychological aspects of fibromyalgia: research vs. clinician impressions.
OBJECTIVE
This study was designed to compare the psychological features of patients with fibromyalgia, as described in the research literature, with physicians' clinical impressions.


METHODS
Using a survey method, physicians (n=44) and physicians-in-training (n=54) were polled regarding their clinical impressions of 18 psychological features, culled from the research literature, which are attributed to fibromyalgia patients.


RESULTS
Over 90% of respondents reported that fatigue, muscle tension, pain proneness, depression and anxiety were clinically associated with fibromyalgia patients "frequently" or "very frequently." The majority of respondents (52%) endorsed 10 of 18 items as occurring "frequently" or "very frequently."


CONCLUSIONS
Physicians and physicians-in-training appear to observe in fibromyalgia patients over half of the psychological features identified in the research literature. For the remainder of items, we discuss possible explanations for the disparity.
Sansone
Randy A
RA
Departments of Psychiatry and Internal Medicine, Wright State University School of Medicine, Dayton, OH, USA. Randy.sansone@kmcnetwork.org
Levengood
Julie V
JV
Sellbom
Martin
M
D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003710:Demography; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005260:Female; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires