Cited by 138Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome ResearchPsychosomatic Disorders and Their TreatmentsMyofascial pain diagnosis and treatment

Fibromyalgia syndrome, a problem of tautology

Cohen, M.L, Quintner, J.L·1993·The Lancet

Abstract

Fibromyalgia syndrome is generally taken to denote a clinical state of widespread musculoskeletal pain, stiffness, and fatigue but its pathophysiology, physical and psychological, is unknown, and the nature of the diagnostically mandatory "tender points" remains obscure. Diagnostic criteria convey no pathophysiological insight and they have been "validated" via a circular argument in which the evidence on which the construct is based is taken as proof of its veracity. The concept of fibromyalgia syndrome is valid only in the sense that it includes all possibilities. An alternative approach to this very real clinical presentation is via secondary hyperalgesia.

Integrity signals

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Crossref · 10.1016/0140-6736(93)91950-q

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28 of 28 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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Authors
Cohen, M. L., & Quintner, J. L.
Affiliations
  • UNSW Sydney (AU)
  • St John of God Health Care (AU)
Corresponding author
Cohen, M.L
Venue
The Lancet
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
1993-10
Volume
342
Issue
8876
Pages
906-909
ISSN
  • 0099-5355 (ISSN-L)
  • 0140-6736
OpenAlex
W2047444795
Cited by
138
References
28
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2015: 1 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 1
FWCI
7.15
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • The Lancet (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Myofascial pain diagnosis and treatment
Keywords
fibromyalgia, tautology, diagnostic criteria, tender points, pathophysiology, secondary hyperalgesia, chronic widespread pain, fatigue, circular argument, construct validity
MeSH terms
Fibromyalgia, Humans, Pain Measurement, Sensitivity and Specificity, Syndrome

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