Anxiety, Depression and Alexithymia in Fibromyalgia: Are There Any Differences According to Age?

Abstract

This article analyzes the evolution of alexithymia, anxiety, and depression associated with fibromyalgia (FM) in three age groups in comparison to how they evolve in the same age groups in healthy women. A total of 240 women participated in the study (120 diagnosed with fibromyalgia and 120 healthy women), divided into three age groups (≤35 years,>35 and <65 years, and ≥65 years old). Our analysis revealed that alexithymia, anxiety, and depression in FM patients showed increased levels compared to healthy controls. Also, young women with FM (under 35) show lower alexithymia, anxiety, and depression levels in comparison to older patients (≥65). Alexithymia in FM patients follows a similar pattern as in healthy women (although with significantly higher scores), increasing with age. Our results show that depression, anxiety, and alexithymia develop over age in a different way in FM patients than in healthy individuals, increasing over age.

Effects of Manual Therapy on Fatigue, Pain, and Psychological Aspects in Women with Fibromyalgia

“…Persons with chronic pain are more likely to have depressive symptoms than those without pain [64]. FM patients who have a negative mood may have a poor perception of health [20]. This may be because psychosocial factors are known as risk factors for neck pain [65], and Blozik et al [66] suggests depression and anxiety as major determinants of neck pain.…”

“…Severe anxiety and/or depression can impede the ability to comply with nonpharmacological therapy, which is why interactions with chronic pain and fatigue can become cyclical and self-perpetuating. In FM, it is known that a negative mood can lead to a poor perception of physical health [20]. Depression can increase the perception of pain, producing a vicious cycle of depression/ pain/depression [21].…”

Alexitimia e fibromialgia: uma revisão sistemática

“…Puente et al 23 conducted his study by dividing two hundred forty participants (one hundred twenty with FM and 120 without FM) into three groups (under 35 years old, between 35 and 65 and over 65 years). Their results showed increased presence of alexithymia in FM and an increased incidence of alexithymia with age.…”

Comparative Efficacy of Newer Antidepressants in Combination with Pregabalin for Fibromyalgia Syndrome: A Controlled, Randomized Study

“…Secondary outcomes included depression, as assessed using the CESDS score, life satisfaction, mood, sleep quality, fatigue, medication tolerability, and adverse events. Medication tolerability was measured via a 0–100 scale with 0 indicating “cannot tolerate at all” and 100 indicating “tolerates perfectly well.” Common adverse events/side effects linked to the study medications included dry mouth, drowsiness, dizziness, blurred vision, taste problems, hunger, weight gain, Parkinsonian symptoms, hallucinations, urination, sexual problems, incomplete or infrequent bowel movements, and heartburn.…”

“…Fibromyalgia is usually associated with depression, anxiety, and alexithymia. These symptoms increase with age and contribute substantially to reduced patient well‐being, and may result from alterations in central pain pathways, hyporeactivity of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis, and/or disturbances in the dopaminergic and serotonergic systems . Accordingly, the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) recommends the use of serotonin–norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) to reduce fibromyalgia pain and increase function .…”