Prevalence of fibromyalgia and chronic widespread pain in community-dwelling elderly subjects living in São Paulo, Brazil.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the prevalence of fibromyalgia (FM) and chronic widespread pain (CWP) in community-dwelling elderly individuals living in São Paulo, to assess the spectrum of problems related to these diseases using the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) and to correlate the FIQ with the number of tender points and with pain threshold.


METHODS
Our sample consisted of 361 individuals (64% women, 36% men, mean age of 73.3±5.7 years). Individuals were classified into four groups: FM (according to American College of Rheumatology criteria), CWP, regional pain (RP) and no pain (NP). Pain characteristics and dolorimetry for 18 tender points and the FIQ were assessed.


RESULTS
The prevalence of FM was 5.5% [95% confidence interval (CI)=5.4-5.7], and the prevalence of CWP was 14.1% (95% CI: 10.5-17.7%). The frequency of RP was 52.6% and the prevalence of NP was 27.7%. FIQ scores were higher in people with FM (44.5), followed by CWP (31.4), RP (18.1) and NP (5.5) (p<0.001). There was a positive correlation between the domains of the FIQ and the number of tender points (p<0.05), and a negative correlation between FIQ score and pain threshold (p<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
In our elderly subjects, the prevalence of FM was slightly higher compared to previously reported studies, and CWP was around 14%. The spectrum of problems related to chronic pain was more severe in FM followed by CWP, strongly suggesting that these conditions should be diagnosed and adequately treated in older individuals.
Santos
Adriana M Barsante
AM
Department of Physical Therapy, Phonoaudiology and Occupational Therapy, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. adrianabarsante@yahoo.com.br
Burti
Juliana Schulze
JS
Lopes
Jaqueline B
JB
Scazufca
Márcia
M
Marques
Amélia Pasqual
AP
Pereira
Rosa Maria R
RM
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010146:Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D012923:Social Class