TY - JOUR
T1 - Pressure pain thresholds and tender point counts as predictors of new chronic widespread pain in somatising subjects
AU - Gupta, A.
AU - McBeth, J.
AU - Macfarlane, G. J.
AU - Morriss, R.
AU - Dickens, C.
AU - Ray, D.
AU - Chiu, Y. H.
AU - Silman, A. J.
PY - 2007/4
Y1 - 2007/4
N2 - Background : Tender points are a general measure of distress both in the community and in clinic subjects. It has been suggested that multiple tender points should be regarded as the early stages of somatisation of distress. Similarly, recent evidence suggests that chronic widespread pain (CWP) is one manifestation of the somatisation of distress. Objective: Given that a high tender point count and CWP are clinical hallmarks of the fibromyalgia syndrome, it was hypothesised that in somatising subjects, a high tender point count or a low pain threshold would predict the development of CWP in the future. Methods: In this population-based prospective study, 245 adults aged 25-65 years, free of CWP, were identified on the basis of a detailed questionnaire on pain and a psychosocial questionnaire comprising the Somatic Symptom Checklist and the Illness Behaviour subscale of the Illness Attitude Scales. These subjects took part in a pain threshold examination with a Fischer pressure algometer. Tender point counts were computed by including all areas with a pain threshold
AB - Background : Tender points are a general measure of distress both in the community and in clinic subjects. It has been suggested that multiple tender points should be regarded as the early stages of somatisation of distress. Similarly, recent evidence suggests that chronic widespread pain (CWP) is one manifestation of the somatisation of distress. Objective: Given that a high tender point count and CWP are clinical hallmarks of the fibromyalgia syndrome, it was hypothesised that in somatising subjects, a high tender point count or a low pain threshold would predict the development of CWP in the future. Methods: In this population-based prospective study, 245 adults aged 25-65 years, free of CWP, were identified on the basis of a detailed questionnaire on pain and a psychosocial questionnaire comprising the Somatic Symptom Checklist and the Illness Behaviour subscale of the Illness Attitude Scales. These subjects took part in a pain threshold examination with a Fischer pressure algometer. Tender point counts were computed by including all areas with a pain threshold
U2 - 10.1136/ard.2006.054650
DO - 10.1136/ard.2006.054650
M3 - Article
SN - 0003-4967
VL - 66
SP - 517
EP - 521
JO - Annals of the rheumatic diseases
JF - Annals of the rheumatic diseases
IS - 4
ER -