ArticleCureus2021
Subjective Cognitive Dysfunction in Patients With and Without Fibromyalgia: Prevalence, Predictors, Correlates, and Consequences.
Article in Cureus, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.
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Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed, 14 citations in OpenAlex.
- Impact of a Mediterranean Diet Supplemented with Extra Virgin Olive Oil on Gut Microbiota in Fibromyalgia: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Life (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- A comparative study on mental health outcomes in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and knee osteoarthritis.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Article
- Major depressive disorder in fibromyalgia: novel insights from resting-state functional connectivity analysis.The Korean journal of pain · 2025Article
- Brain Fog and Cognitive Dysfunction in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: An Evidence-Based Review.Psychology research and behavior management · 2025Review
- Physical Function, Self-Perceived Physical Fitness, Falls, Quality of Life and Degree of Disability According to Fear and Risk of Falling in Women with Fibromyalgia.Journal of functional morphology and kinesiology · 2024Article
- Mind the Mood: Momentary Depression and Anxiety Moderate the Correspondence Between Subjective and Objective Cognitive Functioning in Fibromyalgia.Arthritis care & research · 2023Article
- Psychometric testing of the British English Workplace Activity Limitations Scale in four rheumatic and musculoskeletal conditions.Rheumatology advances in practice · 2023Article
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Authors and funding
4 authors at 3 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundSubjective cognitive dysfunction (SCD) is common in fibromyalgia (FM), where it has been called 'fibrofog.' But its predictors and correlates are not well understood, including the extent to which SCD is present in fibromyalgia and non-fibromyalgia clinical populations. In addition, there are no studies available concerning SCD and fibromyalgia in the general population. We investigated these issues in a longitudinal rheumatic disease research databank and two cross-sectional general population studies.
methods11,150 unselected patients with rheumatoid arthritis completed an assessment of FM and cognitive severity (CS) status using the full 0-3 fibromyalgia 2016 criteria assessment. In addition, CS was dummy coded as present/absent (CS+). Assessments of SCD and fibromyalgia prevalence were available in two German general population studies.
resultsFibromyalgia was present (FM+) in 2,493 (21.7%) of clinical subjects and absent (FM-) in 9,017 (78.3%) by FM 2016 criteria. Cognitive severity was present in 1,304 (52.3%) of those with fibromyalgia and 1,009 (11.2%) of non-fibromyalgia subjects (FM-). In two general population studies, 42.0% to 52.3% of those with fibromyalgia were CS+ as were 1.4% to 5.5% of FM- subjects. Patients with CS+ had more abnormal scores for every measure of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) severity, fibromyalgia severity, and general health. The presence of CS+ was strongly related to somatic and non-somatic symptoms scores and less strongly to pain variables. The best predictor of CS+ in the clinic and the general population was the symptom severity scale (SSS), a criterion of fibromyalgia.
conclusionsPersons with SCD have high counts of somatic and psychological symptoms. Subjective cognitive dysfunction is best predicted by a simple symptoms score, and not by pain extent scores. Although SCD is called fibrofog in patients with FM, 43.6% of CS+ cases occurred in FM- subjects. Fibromyalgia and CS are correlated but appear to be different parts of a symptom severity continuum. 'Fibrofog' as a phenomenon linked only to fibromyalgia is a misnomer because it can be identified in many non-fibromyalgia patients as well.
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