Elsevier

The Journal of Pain

Volume 11, Issue 9, September 2010, Pages 885-893
The Journal of Pain

Original Report
Actigraphy-Based Physical Activity Monitoring in Adolescents With Juvenile Primary Fibromyalgia Syndrome

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2009.12.009Get rights and content
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Abstract

Juvenile primary fibromyalgia syndrome (JPFS) is a chronic pain condition associated with significant impairment in physical functioning, but no studies have used newer technologies such as actigraphy to document objective physical activity levels in JPFS. This is the first study to objectively describe physical activity in JPFS patients and examine the relationship of pain, perceived functional impairment, and depressive symptoms on physical activity. One hundred four clinically referred adolescents with JPFS (ages 11 to 18 years) wore a hip-mounted actigraph for 1 week. Data on pain intensity, functional disability, depressive symptoms, and psychiatric diagnoses were obtained using self- and parent-report measures and a standardized psychiatric interview. Results showed that younger patients were more active. Pain intensity was not significantly associated with physical activity levels overall, but the most highly active group of adolescents reported lower levels of pain and disability than the least active. Parent report of adolescents' physical functioning and depressive symptoms were significantly correlated with adolescents' physical activity levels. Actigraphy provides a unique source of information about physical functioning which is distinct from adolescents' self-report of physical functioning in JPFS. Preliminary findings suggest that further study of factors that predict perceived and actual physical functioning in JPFS is warranted.

Perspective

This study presents the results of physical activity monitoring in adolescents with JPFS using actigraphy. Results indicate that actigraphy provides a unique source of objective information that can advance our understanding of physical disability in JPFS and the factors associated with physical impairment.

Key words

Juvenile fibromyalgia
actigraphy
pediatric pain
physical functioning
depression

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Supported by a grant from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS Grant No. R01 AR050028).