title: Self-ratings of higher olfactory acuity contrast with reduced olfactory test results of fibromyalgia patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Self-reports of fibromyalgia (FM) patients about an enhanced olfactory acuity have been used to characterize them as persons with a general increased sensitivity to sensory input consistent with a central sensitization. However, as reduced activations in some brain areas also seem to accompany FM, a multisensory hypersensitivity is not a necessary consequence.
  
  
  METHODS
  FM patients meeting ARA (American Rheumatism Association) criteria (16 women and one man, aged 23-56 years, spontaneous pain 32-91 mm visual analog scale [VAS], 14-18 tender points with a pressure pain threshold of 1.5±0.7 kg/cm(2)) received an olfactory test (Sniffn' Sticks) to assess their odor thresholds to n-butanol and their ability to discriminate and identify odors. Healthy controls were 14 age-matched women and one man.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients had poorer odor identification than controls (14.6±1.3 vs. 15.5±0.6; p<0.05) but did not differ in odor thresholds or odor discrimination. This test result contrasted with the patients' self-ratings of their olfactory sensitivity as higher than average.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The perception of FM patients as being multisensory hypersensitive is not supported by present results. In contrast to the subjects' self-ratings, measurements of olfactory function showed a slightly reduced odor identification, with a by-and-large normal performance.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Goethe-University, D-60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany. j.loetsch@em.uni-frankfurt.de
authors.forename: Jörn
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lötsch
authors.forename: Hans-Georg
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Kraetsch
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wendler
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hummel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009812:Odorants; D000857:Olfaction Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D057566:Self Report; D012684:Sensory Thresholds / Q000502:physiology; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult