High Prevalence and Clinical Impact of Fibromyalgia in Functional Motor Disorder 2026 Serranova et al

[Andy]

Abstract

Background

Fibromyalgia is characterized by widespread pain, fatigue, sleep and cognitive symptoms. It overlaps clinically with functional motor disorder (FMD), yet its prevalence and impact in FMD remain uncertain.

Objective

To determine the prevalence of fibromyalgia in FMD using the current criteria and evaluate its effects on motor symptoms and health-related quality of life (HRQoL).

Methods

A total of 138 consecutive FMD patients completed the Fibromyalgia Survey Questionnaire, subjective motor ratings and HRQoL measures. Motor impairment was assessed using the Simplified FMD Rating Scale, and physical/psychiatric comorbidities and medication use were recorded.

Results

Fibromyalgia was present in 44.9% of patients (95% CI: 36.5–53.6%). Those with fibromyalgia had more severe motor symptoms, lower HRQoL and greater medication use. Higher fibromyalgia severity, S-FMDRS, and psychiatric comorbidity were independent predictors of lower HRQoL.

Conclusions

Fibromyalgia is common in FMD and associated with worse clinical outcomes, supporting systematic screening and integrated management.

Open access

 

[Utsikt]

Recognition of fibromyalgia or widespread pain in FMD has important management implications. FMD focused rehabilitation alone appears to provide limited benefit for pain,7, 28, 29 whereas physiotherapy combined with cognitive-behavioral interventions may be more effective.30

Identification of fibromyalgia should guide multimodal management aligned with international recommendations, emphasizing non-pharmacological strategies such as pain education, self-management, physical activity, and psychological interventions, while prompting review of medication overuse and avoidance of excessive reliance on analgesics or procedures.4, 16

Addressing modifiable contributors such as mood, migraine, sleep disturbances, including treatment of RLS and obstructive sleep apnea, represents an important therapeutic target given the bidirectional relationship between sleep and pain.13, 16, 31

30 is this:

Multidisciplinary treatment improved SF-36 PCS with a mean between-group difference at 3 months of 4.23 points (95% CI, -0.9 to 9.4 points; P = .11) and a significant mean between-group difference at 5 months of 5.62 points (95% CI, 2.3-8.9 points; P < .001), after multiple-comparisons adjustment.

I can’t be bothered checking more of the references, they clearly don’t care about methodology when they use studies with subjective outcomes and no blinding.