RESEARCH - Comorbid depression mediates the association of childhood/adolescent maltreatment and fibromyalgia syndrome

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Schmerz. 2010 Sep;24(5):474-84.

[Comorbid depression mediates the association of childhood/adolescent

maltreatment and fibromyalgia syndrome. A study with patients from

different clinical settings]

[Article in German]

Kosseva M, Schild S, Wilhelm-Schwenk R, Biewer W, Häuser W.

Klinik für Innere Medizin I, Klinikum Saarbrücken gGmbH, Saarbrücken.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Emotional and physical abuse and neglect in childhood and

adolescence [childhood maltreatments (CMs)] are considered to play a

role in the etiology of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). Whether the

association between FMS and CMs can be explained by mediators has not

been studied.

METHODS: CMs of consecutive FMS patients from three different clinical

settings were assessed by the German version of the Childhood Trauma

Questionnaire. Clinical setting, gender, age, comorbid depression, and

health care use were tested for mediators.

RESULTS: Of 328 patients (86% women, mean age 50 years), 293 were

analyzed; 16% of the patients reported severe emotional, 9% severe

physical, and 11% severe sexual abuse and 25% severe emotional and 13%

severe physical neglect during childhood. The frequency of CMs was not

associated with setting, gender, age, and health care use. FMS

patients with a comorbid depression more frequently reported physical

abuse (p=0.01) and emotional abuse (p=0.001), as well as emotional

neglect (p=0.0008) and physical neglect (p=0.001) compared with FMS

patients without a comorbid depression.

DISCUSSION: Comorbid depression is a mediator of the association

between CMs and FMS.

CONCLUSION: Prospective population-based studies controlling for

depression are necessary to determine the role of CMs in the etiology

of FMS.

PMID: 20872126

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20872126

Not an MD