Study Finds Fibromyalgia Highly Comorbid

October 9, 2006

There is substantial evidence for lifetime psychiatric comorbidity in fibromyalgia patients, according to a recent study in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. Researchers calculated the odds ratios (ORs) for DSM-IV disorders in individuals with fibromyalgia versus individuals with rheumatoid arthritis. Strikingly, individuals with fibromyalgia were 153 times more likely than individuals without fibromyalgia to present with comorbid bipolar disorder. They also found an OR of 6.7 for anxiety disorders, 3.3 for substance use disorders, 2.7 for major depressive disorder, and 2.4 for eating disorders. The results hint at possible pathophysiologic links between fibromyalgia and other disorders. http://www.psychiatrist.com/tocnow.asp

- LC