Objective evidence that Fibromyalgia Syndrome patients are as disabled as they say they are

A recently published study has found that patients with RA and Fibromyalgia Syndrome, displaying similar levels of self-reported disability. have objective evidence of similar levels of activity.

Both Fibromyalgia Syndrome (Fibro) and Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) patients self-report similar disability, but these diseases are viewed differently by the medical profession as one has ample evidence of tissue damage and inflammation and the other does not.

The study aimed to see if an objective measure of disability produced similar results to a patients self-report of disability.

For the study, 12 patients with RA were matched with 12 Fibro patients by sex, age, and Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) score. ¹

The 24-hour ambulatory activity of these patients was recorded using the Numact monitor.

Statistical analysis was performed using independent group t test for the ambulatory activity data and Spearman's correlation coefficients for HAQ and total energy.

The researchers found that there were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of total activity. Other compared analyses for activity included the number of steps taken, vigor of steps, and time spent standing, which were not statistically different.¹

The article concludes that:

"Patients with RA and [Fibromyalgia Syndrome] displaying similar levels of self-reported disability have objective evidence of similar levels of total ambulatory activity. There is a statistically significant correlation between self-reported and objective measurements of disability for the [Fibromyalgia Syndrome] patients. Either of these measures merits further study as outcome measures for [Fibromyalgia Syndrome]."¹

References:

1. Raftery G, Bridges M, Heslop P, Walker DJ. Are fibromyalgia patients as inactive as they say they are? Clin Rheumatol. 2009 Feb 20. [Epub ahead of print]