Prevalence of fibromyalgia and chronic widespread pain.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the prevalence of fibromyalgia and chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain in a general population using the criteria of the American College of Rheumatology from 1990.

DESIGN

Structured interview and clinical examination, including tender-point count and pain threshold measured with a dolorimeter, of subjects with suspected chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain.

SETTING

The general population in south-west Sweden 1995-1996.

SUBJECTS

303 individuals with suspected chronic widespread pain were identified in a previously defined cohort containing 2425 men and women aged 20-74 years. 202 individuals were invited and 147 agreed to participate.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Tenderpoint count, pain threshold and prevalence of chronic widespread pain and fibromyalgia.

RESULTS

The prevalence of fibromyalgia was estimated to 1.3% (95% CI 0.8-1.7; n = 2425) and that of all chronic widespread pain to 4.2% (95% CI 3.4-5.0; n = 2425). The mean pain threshold measured with a dolorimeter was lower in subjects with chronic widespread pain (p < 0.01) and correlated with the number of tender points (r = -0.59, p < 0.01) but could not be used to distinguish the subjects with fibromyalgia.

CONCLUSION

Compared to other studies, fibromyalgia and chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain seemed to be relatively rare conditions in the south-west of Sweden.