Original articleRelationships Between Performance-Based Tests and Patients’ Ratings of Activity Limitations, Self-Efficacy, and Pain in Fibromyalgia
Section snippets
Population
Sixty-nine women with fibromyalgia1 were included in this study, which is a part of a larger treatment study reported elsewhere.6 We recruited the patients from primary health care and rheumatology clinics in the Göteborg, Sweden, region. Our criteria for inclusion were: women with a diagnosis of fibromyalgia and fulfillment of the America College of Rheumatology 1990 criteria for fibromyalgia.1 The criteria for exclusion were other rheumatic diseases and other severe somatic or psychiatric
Missing Values
The performance-based tests were performed by all 69 (100%) participants, apart from the 6MWT, which was not performed by a blind woman (completion rate, 99%). One missing value was found in the FIQ PF scale, the SF-36 PF scale, the ASES function scale, and the ASES pain scale, respectively (completion rate, 99%). Two missing values were found in the FIQ pain scale and the SF-36 bodily pain scale (completion rate, 97%).
Content of the Subscales Assessing Physical Function in SF-36, FIQ, and ASES
We found the items on the PF scales to be linked to 4 types of activity
Discussion
Significant relationships, ranging from fair to good, were found between the performance-based tests and the patients’ subjective ratings of their activity limitations. These relationships are of clinical importance for understanding activity limitations reported by patients with fibromyalgia and they are in line with studies of patients with LBP28, 29 and RA.30, 31 These results also indicate that body functions are important to assess when planning the rehabilitation of patients with
Conclusions
The performance-based tests assessing body functions showed significant relationships with activity limitations in patients with fibromyalgia. Interesting differences were found in the content of the rating scales assessing activity limitations. Most of the items on the SF-36 PF scale focus on the lower extremities and are related to exercise tolerance, while most of the items on the FIQ PF scale cover items related to lifting and carrying objects while walking around, without clear reference
References (49)
- et al.
Disability evaluation and the fibromyalgia syndrome
Semin Arthritis Rheum
(1995) - et al.
Studies on maximal voluntary muscle contraction in patients with fibromyalgia
Arch Phys Med Rehabil
(1994) - et al.
Fear of pain, physical performance, and attentional processes in patients with fibromyalgia
Pain
(2003) - et al.
Self-reports and clinician-measured physical function among patients with low back paina comparison
Arch Phys Med Rehabil
(2001) - et al.
The Swedish SF-36 Health Survey I. Evaluation of data quality, scaling assumptions reliability, and construct validity across general populations in Sweden
Soc Sci Med
(1995) - et al.
Prevalence of fear of pain and activity in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome
J Pain
(2004) - et al.
Muscle performance in patients with fibromyalgia
Joint Bone Spine
(2002) - et al.
The American College of Rheumatology 1990 criteria for the classification of fibromyalgia. Report of the Multicenter Criteria Committee
Arthritis Rheum
(1990) The epidemiology of chronic generalized musculoskeletal pain
Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol
(2003)- et al.
Living with fibromyalgia. Consequences for everyday life
Clin J Pain
(1992)
A randomized, controlled clinical trial of education and physical training for women with fibromyalgia
J Rheumatol
Pool exercise combined with an education program for patients with fibromyalgia syndrome
J Rheumatol
Fibromyalgiaa randomised, controlled trial of a treatment programme based on self-management
Ann Rheum Dis
Cognitive behavioral therapy and aerobic exercise for Gulf War veterans’ illness
JAMA
Development and evaluation of a scale to measure perceived self-efficacy in people with arthritis
Arthritis Rheum
Self-efficacy, pain, and physical activity among fibromyalgia subjects
Arthritis Care Res
A randomised controlled trial of exercise and education for individuals with fibromyalgia
Arthritis Care Res
International classification of functioning, disability and healthICF short version
Muscle strength, working capacity and effort in patients with fibromyalgia
Scand J Rehabil Med
Muscle strength and aerobic capacity in primary fibromyalgia
Clin Exp Rheumatol
Grip force in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia and in healthy subjectsa study with the Grippit instrument
Scand J Rheumatol
Dynamic muscular endurance in primary fibromyalgia compared with chronic myofascial pain syndrome
Arch Phys Med Rehabil
Physical performance characteristics of women with fibromyalgia
Arthritis Care Res
Functional ability and work status in patients with fibromyalgia
Arthritis Care Res
Cited by (0)
Supported by the Swedish Research Council, the Swedish Rheumatism Association, the Länsförsäkringsbolagen Research Foundation, and the Vårdal Foundation.
No commercial party having a direct financial interest in the results of the research supporting this article has or will confer a benefit upon the author(s) or upon any organization with which the author(s) is/are associated.