Actigraphy-based physical activity monitoring in adolescents with juvenile primary fibromyalgia syndrome.
Juvenile primary fibromyalgia syndrome (JPFS) is a chronic pain condition associated with significant impairment in physical functioning, but no studies have used newer technologies such as actigraphy to document objective physical activity levels in JPFS. This is the first study to objectively describe physical activity in JPFS patients and examine the relationship of pain, perceived functional impairment, and depressive symptoms on physical activity. One hundred four clinically referred adolescents with JPFS (ages 11 to 18 years) wore a hip-mounted actigraph for 1 week. Data on pain intensity, functional disability, depressive symptoms, and psychiatric diagnoses were obtained using self- and parent-report measures and a standardized psychiatric interview. Results showed that younger patients were more active. Pain intensity was not significantly associated with physical activity levels overall, but the most highly active group of adolescents reported lower levels of pain and disability than the least active. Parent report of adolescents' physical functioning and depressive symptoms were significantly correlated with adolescents' physical activity levels. Actigraphy provides a unique source of information about physical functioning which is distinct from adolescents' self-report of physical functioning in JPFS. Preliminary findings suggest that further study of factors that predict perceived and actual physical functioning in JPFS is warranted.


CONCLUSIONS
This study presents the results of physical activity monitoring in adolescents with JPFS using actigraphy. Results indicate that actigraphy provides a unique source of objective information that can advance our understanding of physical disability in JPFS and the factors associated with physical impairment.
Kashikar-Zuck
Susmita
S
Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. Susmita.Kashikar-Zuck@cchmc.org
Flowers
Stacy R
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Verkamp
Emily
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Ting
Tracy V
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Lynch-Jordan
Anne M
AM
Graham
T Brent
TB
Passo
Murray
M
Schikler
Kenneth N
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Hashkes
Philip J
PJ
Spalding
Steven
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Banez
Gerard
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Richards
Margaret M
MM
Powers
Scott W
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Arnold
Lesley M
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Lovell
Daniel
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D000293:Adolescent; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology