Patients with fibromyalgia rarely fulfil classification criteria for axial spondyloarthritis

Abstract

FM patients only rarely fulfil classification criteria for axSpA but some axSpA patients also fulfil FM criteria. Since this was more frequent in patients with AS it may be related to the severity and duration of chronic pain in axSpA patients. Assessment instruments evaluated in axSpA are not disease-specific. The phenomenon of central pain sensitization in rheumatic diseases deserves more study.