Shreena K. Gandhi, MBBS: Recognizing Fibromyalgia as a Continuous Variable, Trait Diagnosis

People who meet fibromyalgia criteria do not receive social security disability (SSD) to the same rate as people with concurrent rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or osteoarthritis (OA) who meet fibromyalgia criteria, and functional status variables were the primary predictors of SSD.¹

These findings, from an observational study, were presented by Shreena K. Gandhi, MBBS, resident, University of Kansas School of Medicine - Wichita, and Kansas City VA Medical Center, at the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Convergence 2024, held November 14-19 in Washington, DC.

“We should look at fibromyalgia more as a trait diagnosis, rather than a state diagnosis… A trait diagnosis is something that a patient has, but doesn't always have to show… what we're seeing time and again with fibromyalgia is that a lot of it is defined on a continuous variable scale… so, I do want that to be emphasized in practice,” Gandhi told HCPLive® during the meeting.

Gandhi and colleagues found that 30.12% of those with fibromyalgia received SSD, whereas SSD prevalence was 53.56% among people with RA and concomitant fibromyalgia and 52.38% among people with OA and concomitant fibromyalgia.¹

In speaking with HCPLive, Gandhi gave background on the study and how it is an updated iteration of the late Frederick Wolfe, MD’s study on fibromyalgia and SSD.²

“A lot of fibromyalgia patients get seen and treated by their primary care physician (PCP). So, what would be beneficial is some kind of collaboration between PCPs and rheumatologists, where we can [have] more treatment discussions, more diagnosis discussions and more collaborative discussions so that our patients get better, comprehensive care,” Gandhi said.

REFERENCES

• Gandhi SK, Pedro S, Walitt B, Häuser W, Katz R, Michaud K. Social Security Work Disability and Its Predictors in Patients with Fibromyalgia: 25 Years of Followup.Presented at: ACR Convergence 2024; November 14-19; Washington, DC. Abstract 0794.

• Wolfe F, Walitt BT, Katz RS, Häuser W. Social security work disability and its predictors in patients with fibromyalgia. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2014;66(9):1354-1363. doi:10.1002/acr.22305