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Tender point count and total myalgic score in fibromyalgia: changes over a 28-day period

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Abstract

Tender point count (TPC) is central to fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), and with total myalgic score (TMS) is often used to monitor the patient’s condition. This study aimed to determine the stability of TPC and TMS over time, and to examine how well these measures reflected patients’ perceptions of their condition. Twenty-four patients with FMS completed the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) and a visual analogue scale (VAS) measuring well-being, at entrance into the study, and 7 and 28 days later. There was no significant change in TPC (P = 0.074), FIQ score (P = 0.291) or VAS (P = 0.079) of well-being with time. However, mean TMS score did change over time (P = 0.021). There was no correlation between total FIQ score and the other measures (all P-values > 0.05). The significant change in TMS over time may reflect the natural fluctuation in the clinical presentation of FMS.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the Physiotherapy Research Foundation. The authors acknowledge the assistance of the staff of the physiotherapy and occupational therapy departments of The Royal Hospitals Trust, Belfast. Thanks are particularly extended to Monica McCullagh for her assistance collecting pilot data.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Health and Rehabilitation Sciences Research Institute, School of Health Sciences, University of Ulster, Jordanstown, Belfast, Northern Ireland

    J. G. McVeigh

  2. Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Royal Hospitals Trust, Belfast, Northern Ireland

    M. B. Finch

  3. School of Physiotherapy and Performance Science, University College, Dublin, Ireland

    D. A. Hurley

  4. Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, USA

    J. R. Basford

  5. Primary Care Sciences Research Centre, Keele University, Staffordshire, UK

    J. Sim

  6. New Zealand Centre for Physiotherapy Research, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand

    G. D. Baxter

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  1. J. G. McVeigh
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  2. M. B. Finch
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  3. D. A. Hurley
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  4. J. R. Basford
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  5. J. Sim
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Correspondence to J. G. McVeigh.

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McVeigh, J.G., Finch, M.B., Hurley, D.A. et al. Tender point count and total myalgic score in fibromyalgia: changes over a 28-day period. Rheumatol Int 27, 1011–1018 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-007-0404-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-007-0404-8

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