Fibromyalgia Definition And Prevalence

Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain syndrome1

Fibromyalgia is a chronic disorder characterized by widespread and persistent non-inflammatory musculoskeletal pain and associated symptoms, including fatigue, insomnia, morning stiffness, depression, anxiety, and cognitive problems.2

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Fibromyalgia Recommendations on Introduction

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Fibromyalgia is a complex disease

Fibromyalgia is one of the most common causes of chronic widespread pain3

  • Even though physicians have started to recognize fibromyalgia as a distinct disorder decades ago, it continues to be complex3
  • After osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia is the second-most common rheumatic disorder4

Fibromyalgia is a complex disease

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Fibromyalgia statistics

Fibromyalgia is a pathology frequently documented in daily clinical practice5

THE GLOBAL PREVALENCE OF FIBROMYALGIA VARIES FROM 2% TO 8% IN THE GENERAL POPULATION4

Fibromyalgia statistics

statistics

The relationship between fibromyalgia and gender is unclear, due to differences in criteria and methods of diagnosis7

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Clinically-Diagnosed Fibromyalgia

80% to 90% of fibromyalgia is diagnosed in women1

Physicians are more likely to diagnose fibromyalgia and other somatic syndrome disorders in women than in men7

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Criteria-Based Fibromyalgia

2 large population-based studies using the modified American College of Rheumatology criteria reported that only 60.8% and 60.5% of persons with fibromyalgia were women7

If women are over-diagnosed and men under-diagnosed, then statistics relating to symptoms, prevalence, costs, comorbidity, and clinical outcomes will be inaccurate7

Women are more likely than men to meet fibromyalgia diagnostic criteria7

Women are likely to score higher (worse) on fibromyalgia diagnostic criteria7

Studies comparing symptoms such as pain and fatigue between men and women with fibromyalgia report mixed findings, though there is evidence of more changes in men’s sleep patterns as well as greater physical deterioration and worse quality of life8

Men are also more likely to report frustration and neglect in dealing with the healthcare system, and may be less likely to express feelings of pain due to fear of being perceived as ‘weak’8

Women are more likely than men to meet fibromyalgia diagnostic criteria7

Women are more likely than men to meet fibromyalgia diagnostic criteria

However it is important to consider that the over-identification of fibromyalgia in women and under-identification in men is the result of bias.7

However it is important to consider that the over-identification of fibromyalgia in women and under-identification in men is the result of bias.7

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It’s not just women who have fibromyalgia

The true distribution of fibromyalgia patients is NOT 90% women and 10% men7

Unbiased epidemiological data shows a female to male fibromyalgia prevalence of ~60% women/~40% men7

Prominent researchers in the field believe that men with fibromyalgia are underdiagnosed8

A systematic review reported that fibromyalgia prevalence is similar around the world between men and women; however, the symptoms experienced by men were less likely to be identified and diagnosed than those of women8

Most research has focused on women, so our understanding of fibromyalgia from the male perspective is limited8

It’s not just women who have fibromyalgia

It’s not just women who have fibromyalgia

If you (or a person close to you) has experienced unexplained widespread pain for more than three months and cannot get a diagnosis, this may be fibromyalgia

GO TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR.
References:
  1. Janssen LP, Medeiros LF, Souza A, Silva JD. Fibromyalgia: a review of related polymorphisms and clinical relevance. An Acad Bras Cienc. 2021;93(suppl 4):e20210618.
  2. Galvez-Sánchez CM, Reyes Del Paso GA. Diagnostic criteria for fibromyalgia: critical review and future perspectives. J Clin Med. 2020;9(4):1219.
  3. Sarzi-Puttini P, Giorgi V, Atzeni F, et al. Fibromyalgia position paper. Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2021;39 Suppl 130(3):186-193.
  4. Clauw DJ. Fibromyalgia: a clinical review. JAMA. 2014;311(15):1547-1555.
  5. Ly-Pen D, Andreu JL, de Blas G. Prevalencia de fibromialgia en pacientes con síndrome del túnel carpiano. Acta Rheumatológica. 2014;1(13):15-20.
  6. Arnold LM, Bennett RM, Crofford LJ, et al. AAPT diagnostic criteria for fibromyalgia. J Pain. 2019;20(6):611-628.
  7. Wolfe F, Walitt B, Perrot S, Rasker JJ, Häuser W. Fibromyalgia diagnosis and biased assessment: sex, prevalence and bias. PLoS One. 2018;13(9):e0203755.
  8. Ruschak I, Toussaint L, Rosselló L, Martiín CA, Fernández-Sáez J, Montesó-Curto P. Symptomatology of fibromyalgia syndrome in men: a mixed-method pilot study. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health. 2022;19:1724.