Characteristics of patients with fibromyalgia.

BACKGROUND: Fibromyalgia is characterised by generalized pain. A search of the available literature found no previous reports describing the specific characteristics of patients with fibromyalgia.

OBJECTIVES: To describe characteristics of patients with fibromyalgia.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Case-control study including 50 patients with fibromyalgia and 50 gender and age-matched controls. After obtaining written informed consent for the study, demographic data were collected and pain in the leg, ankle and foot area was measured using a visual analogue scale (VAS). A general physical examination to test mobility and rigidity of the foot joints was also performed. Patients were also asked about their shoe utilisation habits.

RESULTS: The results confirm that patients with fibromyalgia experience significantly more pain in the whole leg, ankle and foot areas than the control subjects. For this reason they use significantly more pain-killing drugs than the control subjects. However, this increase in pain is not associated with stiffness or mobility abnormalities in this series. In addition, patients with fibromyalgia show no increase in the rate of hyperkeratosis or other foot lesions.

CONCLUSIONS: Patients with fibromyalgia do not seem to show a higher rate of foot lesions or a peculiar pattern of foot involvement compared to age and gender-matched controls.