BackgroundThe aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of fibromyalgia, as well as to assess the major symptoms of this syndrome in an adult, low socioeconomic status population assisted by the primary health care system in a city in Brazil.MethodsWe cross-sectionally sampled individuals assisted by the public primary health care system (n = 768, 35–60 years old). Participants were interviewed by phone and screened about pain. They were then invited to be clinically assessed (304 accepted). Pain was estimated using a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Fibromyalgia was assessed using the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), as well as screening for tender points using dolorimetry. Statistical analyses included Bayesian Statistics and the Kruskal-Wallis Anova test (significance level = 5%).ResultsFrom the phone-interview screening, we divided participants (n = 768) in three groups: No Pain (NP) (n = 185); Regional Pain (RP) (n = 388) and Widespread Pain (WP) (n = 106). Among those participating in the clinical assessments, (304 subjects), the prevalence of fibromyalgia was 4.4% (95% confidence interval [2.6%; 6.3%]). Symptoms of pain (VAS and FIQ), feeling well, job ability, fatigue, morning tiredness, stiffness, anxiety and depression were statically different among the groups. In multivariate analyses we found that individuals with FM and WP had significantly higher impairment than those with RP and NP. FM and WP were similarly disabling. Similarly, RP was no significantly different than NP.ConclusionFibromyalgia is prevalent in the low socioeconomic status population assisted by the public primary health care system. Prevalence was similar to other studies (4.4%) in a more diverse socioeconomic population. Individuals with FM and WP have significant impact in their well being.

O objetivo deste estudo foi verificar associação entre qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde e dor, ansiedade e depressão em indivíduos de 35 a 60 anos. Foram avaliados 304 indivíduos (244 mulheres, 60 homens) com queixa de dor, divididos em três grupos segundo a característica da dor: dor difusa e crônica (DDC), dor regional (DR) e dor esporádica (DE). A intensidade da dor foi avaliada por uma escala visual analógica, ansiedade pelo Inventário de Ansiedade Traço-Estado, depressão pela escala de depressão de Beck e a qualidade de vida (QV), pelo questionário Short-Form Health Survey - SF-36. A média de idade foi 49,1±6,8 anos; 80,3% eram do sexo feminino; e 35% da amostra referiu dor difusa e crônica. Os resultados mostram que o grupo DDC apresentou os sintomas mais intensos de dor, ansiedade, depressão e pior qualidade de vida, seguido pelos grupos DR e DE, com diferença estatisticamente significante (p<0,001). A correlação entre qualidade de vida e depressão foi forte (r=-0,73) e moderada entre qualidade de vida e dor (r=-0,41), entre QV e ansiedade-traço (r=-0,65), e entre QV e ansiedade-estado (r=-0,58) (p<0,0001). Os indivíduos com dor difusa e crônica foram pois os que apresentaram os sintomas mais intensos e pior qualidade de vida; e esta mostrou-se correlacionada negativamente à depressão, dor e ansiedade.

No abstract