[The psychosomatic aspects and results of rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia]

Abstract

The results of an empirical study on psychosomatic aspects of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) are presented and discussed in the setting of previous concepts about rheumatoid arthritis. The patients investigated in the two disease groups represent an unselected population with regard to psychological abnormalities (from two internistic rheumatism outpatient clinics); the results can thus be considered to be representative and permit the following conclusions to be drawn: RA is not a psychosomatic disease in the strict sense; however, psychological factors must be adjudged to have a disease-modifying influence. FMS may be classified within the group of psychosomatic diseases, although it should be regarded as the final stage of a wide variety of different processes within the biological, psychological and social sphere.