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Cited by 36Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome ResearchPsychosomatic Disorders and Their TreatmentsChild Abuse and Trauma

Prevalence and Characterization of Psychological Trauma in Patients with Fibromyalgia: A Cross-Sectional Study

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Gardoki-Souto, Itxaso, Redolar-Ripoll, Diego, Fontana, Marta, Hogg, Bridget, Castro, María José, Blanch, Josep M., Ojeda, Fabiola, Solanes, Aleix +6 more·2022·Pain Research and Management
DOI 10.1155/2022/2114451PMC PMC9729049
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Abstract

Background. Preliminary evidence suggests that psychological trauma, especially childhood trauma, is a risk factor for the onset of fibromyalgia (FM). Objective. The main objective of this study consisted of evaluating the prevalence and detailed characteristics of psychological trauma in a sample of patients with FM, the chronology of trauma across the lifespan, and its clinical symptoms. We also calculated whether childhood trauma could predict the relationship with different clinical variables. Method. Eighty-eight females underwent an interview to assess sociodemographic data, psychiatric comorbidities, level of pain, FM impact, clinical symptoms of anxiety, depression, insomnia, quality of life, and psychological trauma. Results. The majority of participants (71.5%) met the diagnostic criteria for current post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Participants reported having suffered traumatic events throughout their lifespan, especially in childhood and early adolescence, in the form of emotional abuse, emotional neglect, sexual abuse, and physical abuse. Traumatic events predict both poor quality of life and a level of pain in adulthood. All patients showed clinically relevant levels of anxiety, depression, insomnia, suicidal thoughts, and pain, as well as somatic comorbidities and poor quality of life. Pain levels predicted anxiety, depression, dissociation, and insomnia symptoms. 84% of the sample suffered one or more traumatic events prior to the onset of pain. Conclusions. Our data highlight the clinical complexity of patients with FM and the role of childhood trauma in the onset and maintenance of FM, as well as the high comorbidity between anxiety, depression, somatic symptoms, and FM. Our data also supports FM patients experiencing further retraumatization as they age, with an extremely high prevalence of current PTSD in our sample. These findings underscore the need for multidisciplinary programs for FM patients to address their physical pain and their psychiatric and somatic conditions, pay special attention to the assessment of psychological trauma, and provide trauma-focused interventions. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04476316. Registered on July 20th, 2020.

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  • The fibromyalgia results show a positive and significant association with violence.

    “However, the fibromyalgia results show a positive and significant association, in line with the original hypothesis and previous studies [19, 29, 30].”

    From The association between violence against women and chronic pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis (2024) · cites this paper as [29]

    The Results (§4.2; page unavailable) report a statistically significant association between physical neglect and higher pain levels among patients with fibromyalgia. The paper also reports histories of abuse, but its sample contains only patients with fibromyalgia; it does not establish a statistically significant association between fibromyalgia itself and violence. (LLM, conf=0.82)

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Authors
Gardoki-Souto, I., Redolar-Ripoll, D., Fontana, M., Hogg, B., Castro, M. J., Blanch, J. M., Ojeda, F., Solanes, A., Radua, J., Valiente-Gómez, A., Cirici, R., Pérez, V., Amann, B. L., & Moreno-Alcázar, A.
Affiliations
  • Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ES)
  • Cognitive NeuroLab, Open University of Catalonia (UOC), Barcelona, Spain
  • Forum Center Research Unit, Institute of Neuropsychiatry and Addictions (INAD), Parc de Salut Mar (PSMAR), Barcelona, Spain
  • Parc de Salut (ES)
  • Rheumatology Service, Parc de Salut Mar (PSMAR), Barcelona, Spain
  • Consorci Institut D'Investigacions Biomediques August Pi I Sunyer (ES)
  • August Pi I Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
  • Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ES)
  • Institute of Neuropsychiatry and Addictions (INAD), Parc de Salut Mar, Barcelona, Spain
  • Universitat Pompeu Fabra (ES)
ORCID
Venue
Pain Research and Management
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2022-11-30
Volume
2022
Pages
1-16
ISSN
  • 1203-6765 (ISSN-L)
  • 1918-1523
DOI
10.1155/2022/2114451
PMC
PMC9729049
OpenAlex
W4310490368
Cited by
36
References
17
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 1
FWCI
4.56
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Pain Research and Management (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Dipòsit Digital de Documents de la UAB (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Dipòsit Digital de la Universitat de Barcelona (Universitat de Barcelona) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • Repositori digital de la UPF (Universitat Pompeu Fabra) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
  • Ministry of Universities and Research of the Department of Economics and Knowledge (2017 SGR 46, FI10/00017, JR19/00001, PI18/00009, BA21/00002, 2008-2011, 2013-2016)
  • Institute of Health Carlos III (2017 SGR 46, FI10/00017, JR19/00001, PI18/00009, BA21/00002, 2008-2011, 2013-2016)
  • B. L. Amann Received a Project Grant (2017 SGR 46, FI10/00017, JR19/00001, PI18/00009, BA21/00002, 2008-2011, 2013-2016)
  • A Mobility Grant (2017 SGR 46, FI10/00017, JR19/00001, PI18/00009, BA21/00002, 2008-2011, 2013-2016)
  • Institute of Health Carlos III ‐ General Sub-Directorate for Research Evaluation and Promotion-National Plan (2017 SGR 46, FI10/00017, JR19/00001, PI18/00009, BA21/00002, 2008-2011, 2013-2016)
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
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
Keywords
fibromyalgia, psychological trauma, childhood trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder, emotional abuse, emotional neglect, sexual abuse, physical abuse, anxiety, depression, insomnia, quality of life, pain, retraumatization, psychiatric comorbidity, somatic symptoms, women
MeSH terms
Psychological Trauma, Adult, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Fibromyalgia, Humans, Pain, Quality of Life

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