TY - JOUR
T1 - Clustering Analysis Identifies Two Subgroups of Women with Fibromyalgia with Different Psychological, Cognitive, Health-Related and Physical Features but Similar Widespread Pressure Pain Sensitivity
AU - Fernández-de-Las-Peñas, César
AU - Valera-Calero, Juan Antonio
AU - Arendt-Nielsen, Lars
AU - Martín-Guerrero, José D
AU - Cigarán-Méndez, Margarita
AU - Navarro-Pardo, Esperanza
AU - Pellicer-Valero, Oscar J
N1 - © The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Academy of Pain Medicine. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.
PY - 2023/7/5
Y1 - 2023/7/5
N2 - Objective: Given that identification of groups of patients can help to better understand risk factors related to each group and to improve personalized therapeutic strategies, this study aimed to identify subgroups (clusters) of women with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) according to pain, pain-related disability, neurophysiological, cognitive, health, psychological, or physical features. Methods: Demographic, pain, sensory, pain-related disability, psychological, health, cognitive, and physical variables were collected in 113 women with FMS. Widespread pressure pain thresholds were also assessed. K-means clustering was used to identify groups of women without any previous assumption. Results: Two clusters exhibiting similar widespread sensitivity to pressure pain (pressure pain thresholds) but differing in the remaining variables were identified. Overall, women in one cluster exhibited higher pain intensity and pain-related disability; more sensitization-associated and neuropathic pain symptoms; higher kinesiophobia, hypervigilance, and catastrophism levels; worse sleep quality; higher anxiety/depressive levels; lower health-related function; and worse physical function than women in the other cluster. Conclusions: Cluster analysis identified one group of women with FMS exhibiting worse sensory, psychological, cognitive, and health-related features. Widespread sensitivity to pressure pain seems to be a common feature of FMS. The present results suggest that this group of women with FMS might need to be treated differently.
AB - Objective: Given that identification of groups of patients can help to better understand risk factors related to each group and to improve personalized therapeutic strategies, this study aimed to identify subgroups (clusters) of women with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) according to pain, pain-related disability, neurophysiological, cognitive, health, psychological, or physical features. Methods: Demographic, pain, sensory, pain-related disability, psychological, health, cognitive, and physical variables were collected in 113 women with FMS. Widespread pressure pain thresholds were also assessed. K-means clustering was used to identify groups of women without any previous assumption. Results: Two clusters exhibiting similar widespread sensitivity to pressure pain (pressure pain thresholds) but differing in the remaining variables were identified. Overall, women in one cluster exhibited higher pain intensity and pain-related disability; more sensitization-associated and neuropathic pain symptoms; higher kinesiophobia, hypervigilance, and catastrophism levels; worse sleep quality; higher anxiety/depressive levels; lower health-related function; and worse physical function than women in the other cluster. Conclusions: Cluster analysis identified one group of women with FMS exhibiting worse sensory, psychological, cognitive, and health-related features. Widespread sensitivity to pressure pain seems to be a common feature of FMS. The present results suggest that this group of women with FMS might need to be treated differently.
KW - Clustering
KW - Fibromyalgia
KW - Groups
KW - Pain
KW - Sensitization
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85164238538&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1093/pm/pnac206
DO - 10.1093/pm/pnac206
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 36571508
SN - 1526-2375
VL - 24
SP - 881
EP - 889
JO - Pain Medicine
JF - Pain Medicine
IS - 7
ER -