The fibromyalgia impact questionnaire: A useful tool in evaluating patients with post-Lyme disease syndrome

Abstract

Objective. To determine the reliability and validity of a modified version of the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) in evaluating patients with post-Lyme disease syndrome (PLDS). Methods. In this cross-sectional analysis 13 PLDS, 18 fibromyalgia (FM), and 16 healthy controls (n 47) completed a modified FIQ containing items to evaluate physical impairment, symptom severity, and global well-being. Comparisons between groups were done using analysis of variance with a significance level set at 0.05. Results. PLDS patients demonstrated statistically significantly greater levels of impairment than controls in physical functioning, FIQ total score, global well-being, joint pain, fatigue, depression, ability to perform activities of daily living, and memory/con-centration. FM patients demonstrated a statistically significantly greater level of impairment than the control group in all categories, and the scores were significantly higher than the PLDS group in the measurement of physical impairment, FIQ total score, muscle pain, and joint pain. Overall, the instrument possesses good reliability and validity, although adequacy of this instrument to measure impairment in the male PLDS population needs further elucidation. Conclusion. The results of this study suggest that the modified FIQ may be a useful tool in evaluating PLDS patients. The findings suggest that there may be some differences in the etiopathology of the symptoms experienced by PLDS and FM patients.

Ten Year Results of a Fibromyalgia Out-Patient Clinic: Is There a Happy Ending?

“…There are few studies analyzing the factors that might affect the impact of the disease itself in FMS patients. In those studies, the FIQ correlated with depressed mood [18] and the number of tender points [28] similar to our findings. Since musculoskeletal disorders and related symptoms directly affect patients' functional activities, the relationship between pain and sleep disorder is understandable with FIQ.…”

Psychiatric Comorbidity and Other Psychological Factors in Patients with “Chronic Lyme Disease”

“…The FIQ is a 19-item self-report instrument with a mean of 50 and SD of 10 where higher scores indicate worse functioning38. A version of the FIQ modified for Lyme disease patients was used39.…”

Two Controlled Trials of Antibiotic Treatment in Patients with Persistent Symptoms and a History of Lyme Disease

“…This version of the FIQ has been validated for patients who have persistent symptoms after treatment for Lyme disease. 13 In a control population without chronic illness, the mean total score on the modified FIQ was 14.0, whereas the mean for patients with chronic Lyme disease after treatment was 50.2. 13 Previous studies have indicated that a change of 16.0 points is clinically meaningful.…”

“…7,8 Additional measures of the health-related quality of life included the MOS scales for pain, cognition, and role functioning (the ability to participate in usual daily activities) 9-11 and a modified version of the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ). 12,13 Each of the instruments used to measure the health-related quality of life was administered to study participants at base line and at 30, 90, and 180 days. The SF-36 includes eight multiple-item scales that measure physical functioning, physical limitations on usual role-related activities, bodily pain, general health perceptions, vitality, social functioning, emotional limitations on usual role-related activities, and mental health.…”

“…13 In a control population without chronic illness, the mean total score on the modified FIQ was 14.0, whereas the mean for patients with chronic Lyme disease after treatment was 50.2. 13 Previous studies have indicated that a change of 16.0 points is clinically meaningful. [16][17][18][19] …”