Use of Measurement-Based Tools to Guide the Assessment and Long-Term Treatment of Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a syndrome with heterogeneous symptoms. The importance of each symptom has not been fully established, though widespread body aches, pain, tenderness, fatigue, and sleep disturbances are common symptoms.(1) The evaluation in the clinical setting usually fails to cover the complexity of the syndrome, and clinicians do not utilize available clinical tools—such as questionnaires to evaluate pain, fatigue, and quality of life—to improve understanding of individual cases and guide management of each patient’s symptomatology.(2) 1. Wolfe F, Clauw DJ, Fitzcharles MA, et al. The American College of Rheumatology preliminary diagnostic criteria for fibromyalgia and measurement of symptom severity. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2010;62(5):600-610. PubMed PMID: 20461783. 2 Vallejo MA, Rivera J, Esteve-Vives J; for the Group ICAF. Development of a self-reporting tool to obtain a combined index of severity of fibromyalgia (ICAF). Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2010;8:2. PubMed PMID 20055985.