Die Epidemiologie der Fibromyalgie und des nosologischen Hintergrundes: Ergebnisse einer Bevölkerungsstudie in Bad Säckingen

Objectives: Recent prevalence estimates of fibromyalgia are in the range of 0.7 to 10.5% with classification criteria applied in different population samples. The variation in this figure is indicative of the problems with the nosological and nosographical concept of fibromyalgia. To avoid referral bias of clinical studies our epidemiological study examines the concept of fibromyalgia as an exclusively rheumatic disorder in the general population.

Methods: 1,800 German residents of Bad Säckingen, aged 35-74, were randomly selected from a target population of 3,174. From the 1,741 persons we could reach 1,274 (73.2 %) responded to a postal screening questionnaire. Stratified by rheumatic pain and bodily complaints six subgroups were formed. To each subgroup a random sample was invited to a medical examination: 394 attended.

Results: In predicting the number of tender points rheumatic pain could be substituted by a history of non-specific bodily complaints. Of 160 subject with no history of widespread pain 8 subjects (5 %) were found to fulfill the tender point criterion of the ACR criteria.

Conclusions: Our study raises questions not only about the relevance and the specificity of a history of widespread pain in classifying fibromyalgia, but also about the rheumatologically defined nosological and nosographical concept of the disorder.