The juvenile fibromyalgia syndrome (JFMS): a poorly defined disorder

The juvenile fibromyalgia syndrome (JFMS): a poorly defined disorder

Authors

  • Vincenzo de Sanctis Pediatric and Adolescent Outpatient Clinic, Quisisana Hospital, Ferrara, Italy
  • Vincenzo Abbasciano Institute of Internal Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
  • Ashraf T Soliman Department of Pediatrics, Hamad General Hospital, Doha, Qatar
  • Nada Soliman Primary Health Care, Ministry of Health, Alexandria, Egypt
  • Salvatore Di Maio Emeritus Director in Pediatrics, Santobono-Pausilipon Children’s Hospital, Naples, Italy
  • Bernadette Fiscina Department of Pediatrics, NYU School of Medicine, New York, USA
  • Christos Kattamis First Department of Paediatrics, National Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece

Keywords:

Juvenile fibromyalgia syndrome, epidemiology, clinical characteristics, diagnosis

Abstract

Juvenile fibromyalgia syndrome (JFMS) is a chronic condition characterized by symptoms of chronic diffuse musculoskeletal pain and multiple painful tender points on palpation. It is often accompanied by fatigue, disorders of sleep, chronic headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, and subjective soft tissue swelling. The complexity of the presenting clinical picture in JPFS has not been sufficiently defined in the literature. Similarities to adult fibromyalgia syndrome in JFMS are often difficult to compare, because many of the symptoms are “medically unexplained” and often overlap frequently with other medical conditions. However, a valid diagnosis of JFMS often decreases parents’ anxiety, reduces unnecessary further investigations, and provides a rational framework for a management plan. The diagnostic criteria proposed by Yunus and Masi in 1985 to define JFMS were never validated or critically analyzed. In most cases, the clinical diagnosis is based on the history, the physical examination that demonstrates general tenderness (muscle, joints, tendons), the absence of other pathological conditions that could explain pain and fatigue, and the normal basic laboratory tests. Research and clinical observations defined that JFMS may have a chronic course that impacts the functional status and the psychosocial development of children and adolescents. This paper briefly reviews the existing knowledge on JFMS focusing on the diagnosis, clinical and the epidemiological characteristics in children and adolescents for better understanding of this disorder.

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Published

23-01-2019

Issue

Section

Adolescentology

How to Cite

1.
The juvenile fibromyalgia syndrome (JFMS): a poorly defined disorder. Acta Biomed [Internet]. 2019 Jan. 23 [cited 2024 Mar. 29];90(1):134-48. Available from: https://www.mattioli1885journals.com/index.php/actabiomedica/article/view/8141