Fibromyalgia and physical trauma: the concepts we invent

Frederick Wolfe¹, Winfried Häuser², Brian T Walitt², Robert S Katz², Johannes J Rasker², Anthony S Russell²

Affiliations

¹ From the National Data Bank for Rheumatic Diseases and University of Kansas School of Medicine, Wichita, Kansas, USA; Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany; Department of Rheumatology, Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC; Department of Rheumatology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA; Faculty of Behavioral Sciences, Department of Psychology, Health and Technology, University of Twente, Enschede, the Netherlands; Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.Dr. Wolfe has testified in US courts. Dr. Häuser received honoraria for education lectures from Abbott Germany and Pfizer, and 1 consulting honorarium from Daiichi Sankyo in the last 3 years.F. Wolfe, MD, National Data Bank for Rheumatic Diseases and University of Kansas School of Medicine; W. Häuser, MD, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy Technische Universität München; B.T. Walitt, MD, MPH, Department of Rheumatology, Washington Hospital Center; R.S. Katz, MD, Department of Rheumatology, Rush University Medical Center; J.J. Rasker, MD, Faculty of Behavioral Sciences, Department of Psychology, Health and Technology, University of Twente; A.S. Russell, MA, MB, BChir, Department of Medicine, University of Alberta. fwolfe@arthritis-research.org.
² From the National Data Bank for Rheumatic Diseases and University of Kansas School of Medicine, Wichita, Kansas, USA; Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany; Department of Rheumatology, Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC; Department of Rheumatology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA; Faculty of Behavioral Sciences, Department of Psychology, Health and Technology, University of Twente, Enschede, the Netherlands; Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.Dr. Wolfe has testified in US courts. Dr. Häuser received honoraria for education lectures from Abbott Germany and Pfizer, and 1 consulting honorarium from Daiichi Sankyo in the last 3 years.F. Wolfe, MD, National Data Bank for Rheumatic Diseases and University of Kansas School of Medicine; W. Häuser, MD, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy Technische Universität München; B.T. Walitt, MD, MPH, Department of Rheumatology, Washington Hospital Center; R.S. Katz, MD, Department of Rheumatology, Rush University Medical Center; J.J. Rasker, MD, Faculty of Behavioral Sciences, Department of Psychology, Health and Technology, University of Twente; A.S. Russell, MA, MB, BChir, Department of Medicine, University of Alberta.

PMID: 25086080
DOI: 10.3899/jrheum.140268

Review

Fibromyalgia and physical trauma: the concepts we invent

Frederick Wolfe et al. J Rheumatol. 2014 Sep.

. 2014 Sep;41(9):1737-45.

doi: 10.3899/jrheum.140268. Epub 2014 Aug 1.

Authors

Frederick Wolfe¹, Winfried Häuser², Brian T Walitt², Robert S Katz², Johannes J Rasker², Anthony S Russell²

Affiliations

¹ From the National Data Bank for Rheumatic Diseases and University of Kansas School of Medicine, Wichita, Kansas, USA; Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany; Department of Rheumatology, Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC; Department of Rheumatology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA; Faculty of Behavioral Sciences, Department of Psychology, Health and Technology, University of Twente, Enschede, the Netherlands; Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.Dr. Wolfe has testified in US courts. Dr. Häuser received honoraria for education lectures from Abbott Germany and Pfizer, and 1 consulting honorarium from Daiichi Sankyo in the last 3 years.F. Wolfe, MD, National Data Bank for Rheumatic Diseases and University of Kansas School of Medicine; W. Häuser, MD, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy Technische Universität München; B.T. Walitt, MD, MPH, Department of Rheumatology, Washington Hospital Center; R.S. Katz, MD, Department of Rheumatology, Rush University Medical Center; J.J. Rasker, MD, Faculty of Behavioral Sciences, Department of Psychology, Health and Technology, University of Twente; A.S. Russell, MA, MB, BChir, Department of Medicine, University of Alberta. fwolfe@arthritis-research.org.
² From the National Data Bank for Rheumatic Diseases and University of Kansas School of Medicine, Wichita, Kansas, USA; Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany; Department of Rheumatology, Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC; Department of Rheumatology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA; Faculty of Behavioral Sciences, Department of Psychology, Health and Technology, University of Twente, Enschede, the Netherlands; Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.Dr. Wolfe has testified in US courts. Dr. Häuser received honoraria for education lectures from Abbott Germany and Pfizer, and 1 consulting honorarium from Daiichi Sankyo in the last 3 years.F. Wolfe, MD, National Data Bank for Rheumatic Diseases and University of Kansas School of Medicine; W. Häuser, MD, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy Technische Universität München; B.T. Walitt, MD, MPH, Department of Rheumatology, Washington Hospital Center; R.S. Katz, MD, Department of Rheumatology, Rush University Medical Center; J.J. Rasker, MD, Faculty of Behavioral Sciences, Department of Psychology, Health and Technology, University of Twente; A.S. Russell, MA, MB, BChir, Department of Medicine, University of Alberta.

PMID: 25086080
DOI: 10.3899/jrheum.140268

Abstract

Despite weak to nonexistent evidence regarding the causal association of trauma and fibromyalgia (FM), literature and court testimony continue to point out the association as if it were a strong and true association. The only data that appear unequivocally to support the notion that trauma causes FM are case reports, cases series, and studies that rely on patients' recall and attribution - very low-quality data that do not constitute scientific evidence. Five research studies have contributed evidence to the FM-trauma association. There is no scientific support for the idea that trauma overall causes FM, and evidence in regard to an effect of motor vehicle accidents on FM is weak or null. In some instances effect may be seen to precede cause. Alternative causal models that propose that trauma causes "stress" that leads to FM are unfalsifiable and unmeasurable.

Keywords: CAUSATION; ETIOLOGY; FIBROMYALGIA; MEDICOLEGAL; TRAUMA.

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Comment in

Trauma and fibromyalgia--black and white? Or 50 shades of grey?
Jones GT. Jones GT. J Rheumatol. 2014 Sep;41(9):1732-3. doi: 10.3899/jrheum.140865. J Rheumatol. 2014. PMID: 25226595 No abstract available.
Comment on "Fibromyalgia and physical trauma: the concepts we invent".
Mader R, Buskila D, Ehrenfeld M. Mader R, et al. J Rheumatol. 2015 Feb;42(2):351. doi: 10.3899/jrheum.141136. J Rheumatol. 2015. PMID: 25641972 No abstract available.
Dr. Wolfe replies.
Wolfe F. Wolfe F. J Rheumatol. 2015 Feb;42(2):352. doi: 10.3899/jrheum.141343. J Rheumatol. 2015. PMID: 25641973 No abstract available.

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Fibromyalgia and physical trauma: the concepts we invent

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Fibromyalgia and physical trauma: the concepts we invent

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