Analysis of the impact of fibromyalgia on quality of life: associated factors

• Published in: Clinical rheumatology Vol. 27; no. 5; pp. 613 - 619
• Main Authors: Ubago Linares, Ma del Carmen, Ruiz-Pérez, Isabel, Bermejo Pérez, Ma José, Olry de Labry-Lima, Antonio, Hernández-Torres, Elisa, Plazaola-Castaño, Juncal
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Springer-Verlag 01.05.2008; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Activities of Daily Living - psychology; Adult; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Fibromyalgia - physiopathology; Fibromyalgia - psychology; Humans; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Original Article; Quality of life; Quality of Life - psychology; Rheumatology; Socioeconomic Factors; Studies; Surveys and Questionnaires; Fibromyalgia; Quality of life
• ISSN: 0770-3198; 1434-9949
• DOI: 10.1007/s10067-007-0756-1

We analysed the impact of fibromyalgia (FM) on the functional capacity of patients suffering this syndrome and identified factors that are associated with greater disease impact. We performed a cross-sectional descriptive telephone survey on all patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia during 2003 in a university hospital in Spain. Variables studied were socio-demographic, job, clinical, health and psycho-social characteristics of patients diagnosed with FM and impact of FM on them. Disease impact was measured by means of the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ). The rest of variables were collected by means of an expressly designed questionnaire. The relation between FIQ score and the other variables was performed with a bivariate analysis, using several tests depending on the variables involved. To analyse the factors associated with greatest disease impact, a multivariate linear regression model was designed. The average FIQ score for the sample was 63.6. Having a larger number of children, being tired and being in a depressed mood were the symptoms that most affected activities of daily living. A diagnosis of any mental illness, reference to repercussion on the family environment, a lower self-rated health and having consulted more specialists before FM diagnosis were associated with a higher impact after adjusting according to all the variables in the model. It can be confirmed that the FIQ is a useful instrument for measuring the impact of FM on quality of life. Identifying factors that determine the extent of its impact will enable more effective therapeutic strategies to be designed.