The assessment of neuropathic pain in fibromyalgia syndrome

2 SUMMARY Objective The aim of this study was to investigate whether fibromyalgia syndrome is a neuropathic pain or not. Methot Ninety nine women with fibromyalgia who refered to the outpatient clinic of Dokuz Eylül University department of physical medicine and rehabilitation due to widespread pain were enrolled to the study. Patients were diagnosed as fibromyalgia syndrome according to the 1990 criteria of Amirican College of Rheumotology. The control group was consisted of 86 patients with acute subacromial impingement syndrome. Turkish version of Fibromyalgia impact questionaire (FIQ), Beck depression inventory (BDI), visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, LANNS (Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Sings) and PainDetect Scale were recorded. Results Patients with fibromyalgia had more sensory symptoms (tingling, burning), morning stiffness, insomnia and fatigue than the patients with subacromial syndrome had. The VAS score of patient with fibromyalgia during rest was higher than the score of the control group. The VAS score of the control group during excercise was higher than the score of the fibromyalgia group. There was no difference between the two group regarding night pain VAS score. The scores of BDI, FIQ, PainDetect and LANSS were higher in patients with fibromyalgia than the patients with subacromial impingement syndrome. FIQ score was correlated with LANSS, BDI and PainDetect in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome. Conclusion In this study, sensory symptoms like paresthesia, hyperalgesia and allodynia were seen more often in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome. Also the scores of LANNS and PainDetect scale were higher in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome. All these findings suggested that fibromyalgia syndrome may be regarded as neuropathic pain. Key Words: Fibromyalgia syndrome, neuropathic pain, LANNS, PainDetect Scale