The epidemiology of chronic widespread pain

Objectives: To discuss some aspects of the epidemiology of widespread pain: case definition, occurrence, and associated characteristics. Findings: The fibromyalgia definition of chronic widespread pain is useful from an epidemiological standpoint because it facilitates comparison between studies. In studies of widespread pain sufferers, back pain and osteoarthritis represent important subgroups. The overall prevalence of widespread pain remains fairly stable but is dynamic with influx from no pain and regional pain groups as efflux to those same groups occurs. The prevalence of widespread musculoskeletal pain is somewhat higher among women than men in the community, but the very high female-to-male ratio among sufferers with fibromyalgia is unexplained. Distress, fatigue, and frequent consultations for disruptive symptoms appear to be risk factors for the development of chronic widespread pain. Conclusions: It may be that "widespreadness" is our best epidemiological measure of the extent of involvement of central pain processes. (C) 2002 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.