ACR Meeting Abstracts

ACR Meeting Abstracts

  • Meetings
    • ACR Convergence 2024
    • ACR Convergence 2023
    • 2023 ACR/ARP PRSYM
    • ACR Convergence 2022
    • ACR Convergence 2021
    • ACR Convergence 2020
    • 2020 ACR/ARP PRSYM
    • 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting
    • 2018-2009 Meetings
    • Download Abstracts
  • Keyword Index
  • Advanced Search
  • Your Favorites
    • Favorites
    • Login
    • View and print all favorites
    • Clear all your favorites
  • ACR Meetings

Abstract Number: 213

Relationship Between a History of Abuse and Fibromyalgia Symptoms and Severity: Data from the Cleveland Clinic Fibromyalgia Registry

Carmen Gota1, Sahar Kaouk 2, Kinanah Yaseen 1, Nilamba Jhala 1 and William Wilke 3, 1Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 2University of Dayton, Gates Mills, OH, 3Cleveland Clinic, Richmond Heights, OH

Meeting: 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting

Keywords: fibromyalgia and abuse

  • Tweet
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
Session Information

Date: Sunday, November 10, 2019

Title: Fibromyalgia & Other Clinical Pain Syndromes Poster

Session Type: Poster Session (Sunday)

Session Time: 9:00AM-11:00AM

Background/Purpose: It has been proposed that the fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) phenotype is determined by genetic factors, lack of physical exercise, mood disorders, maladaptive pain responses, and both current and past stressors, including a history of abuse. In this study we examined the predictive role of a history of abuse on FMS severity measures, and the association between self-reported abuse and socioeconomic status, symptoms, psychiatric comorbidities, and disability.

Methods: All consecutive patients clinically diagnosed with FMS who answered the question ‘Do you have a history of abuse?” were enrolled. Patients’ characteristics were compared between those who reported a history of abuse and those how did not. Linear regression analysis was performed to determine the predictive effect of a history of abuse on fibromyalgia impact questionnaire and fibromyalgianess scale, used as FMS severity measures.

Results: We enrolled 593 consecutive patients with FMS, mean age 43.8 (12.3), 87% female, of which 85.2% met the ACR 2010 criteria. A history of abuse was reported by 223 patients, sexual abuse by 125 (56.5%), physical abuse by 155 (69.5%) and both by 78 (34.9%). Fibromyalgia patients with a history of abuse had worse socioeconomical status as measured by higher percentages of single and divorced patients, lower education level, lack of private insurance and greater reliance on Medicare and Medicaid, lower employment rates, and higher disability compared with those without abuse. A higher prevalence of personal and family history of psychiatric comorbidity was found in patients with a history of abuse. Fibromyalgia severity scores, including fibromyalgianess scale, pain disability index, fibromyalgia impact questionnaire and the health assessment disability index were all higher in patients with FMS and a history abuse compare to those without abuse (Table 1). A linear regression model predictied 46% of FMS  severity  measured by fibromyalgia impact questionnaire  variability, p< 0.0005,  from abuse, exercise, non-refreshing sleep, current stressors, depression and anxiety (Table 2). A similar model, p< 0.0005, predicted 32% of fibromyalgianess scale variability (Table 3).

Conclusion: Our results suggest that stressors such as abuse have a wide range of detrimental effects on FMS. We recommend that abuse should be inquired about in all patients evaluated for FMS as this may give more clarity to the nature and severity of the FMS presentation and prompt the need for psychological interventions.


Table 1 abuse abstract

Table 1. Characteristics of FMS patients with and without a history of abuse


Table 2 for ACR abuse abstract

Table 2: Linear regression analysis predicting fibromyalgia severity variance measured by FIQ from waking up unrefreshed, aerobic exercise, ongoing stressors, history of abuse, PHQ-9 and GAD-7


Table 3 for ACR abuse abstract

Table 3: Linear regression analysis predicting Fibromyalgianess scale -Polysymptomatic distress scale- from waking up unrefreshed, aerobic exercise, ongoing stressors, history of abuse, PHQ-9 and GAD-7


Disclosure: C. Gota, None; S. Kaouk, None; K. Yaseen, None; N. Jhala, None; W. Wilke, None.

To cite this abstract in AMA style:

Gota C, Kaouk S, Yaseen K, Jhala N, Wilke W. Relationship Between a History of Abuse and Fibromyalgia Symptoms and Severity: Data from the Cleveland Clinic Fibromyalgia Registry [abstract]. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2019; 71 (suppl 10). https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/relationship-between-a-history-of-abuse-and-fibromyalgia-symptoms-and-severity-data-from-the-cleveland-clinic-fibromyalgia-registry/. Accessed .
  • Tweet
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

« Back to 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting

ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/relationship-between-a-history-of-abuse-and-fibromyalgia-symptoms-and-severity-data-from-the-cleveland-clinic-fibromyalgia-registry/

Advanced Search

Your Favorites

You can save and print a list of your favorite abstracts during your browser session by clicking the “Favorite” button at the bottom of any abstract. View your favorites »

All abstracts accepted to ACR Convergence are under media embargo once the ACR has notified presenters of their abstract’s acceptance. They may be presented at other meetings or published as manuscripts after this time but should not be discussed in non-scholarly venues or outlets. The following embargo policies are strictly enforced by the ACR.

Accepted abstracts are made available to the public online in advance of the meeting and are published in a special online supplement of our scientific journal, Arthritis & Rheumatology. Information contained in those abstracts may not be released until the abstracts appear online. In an exception to the media embargo, academic institutions, private organizations, and companies with products whose value may be influenced by information contained in an abstract may issue a press release to coincide with the availability of an ACR abstract on the ACR website. However, the ACR continues to require that information that goes beyond that contained in the abstract (e.g., discussion of the abstract done as part of editorial news coverage) is under media embargo until 10:00 AM ET on November 14, 2024. Journalists with access to embargoed information cannot release articles or editorial news coverage before this time. Editorial news coverage is considered original articles/videos developed by employed journalists to report facts, commentary, and subject matter expert quotes in a narrative form using a variety of sources (e.g., research, announcements, press releases, events, etc.).

Violation of this policy may result in the abstract being withdrawn from the meeting and other measures deemed appropriate. Authors are responsible for notifying colleagues, institutions, communications firms, and all other stakeholders related to the development or promotion of the abstract about this policy. If you have questions about the ACR abstract embargo policy, please contact ACR abstracts staff at [email protected].

Wiley

  • Online Journal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Permissions Policies
  • Cookie Preferences

© Copyright 2025 American College of Rheumatology