Table 1

Subject characteristics

Parameters

Women with fibromyalgia (FM)(n = 14)

Healthy controls(HC) (n = 23)

P-value

Age (years)

60.0 ± 1.8

56.8 ± 1.0

0.09

Height (cm)

162.8 ± 1.5

163.4 ± 1.3

0.75

Weight (kg)

68.5 ± 4.3

69.1 ± 2.0

0.88

Body mass index (kg m^-2)

25.7 ± 1.3

25.9 ± 0.8

0.87

FM duration (year)

13.7 ± 1.9

N/A

N/A

IPAQ (MET minute week^-1)

7574 ± 1882

5928 ± 864

0.37

Baseline MVIC (N m)

113.6 ± 5.3

128.4 ± 5.6

0.08

% Loss in MVIC immediately post-exercise

31.4 ± 1.3

27.4 ± 2.4

0.23

% Loss in MVIC at 12 minutes post-exercise

21.1 ± 2.5

17.5 ± 2.0

0.28

VAS pain score pre-exercise (mm)

52.4 ± 6.5

6.9 ± 2.1

< 0.001

VAS pain score post-exercise (mm)

56.2 ± 7.0

17.4 ± 4.5

< 0.001

VAS pain score after 12 minutes recovery (mm)

53.6 ± 6.7

10.1 ± 3.3

< 0.001

VAS fatigue score post-exercise (mm)

61.0 ± 7.0

22.8 ± 4.2

< 0.001

Results are presented as mean ± standard error. 1 MET (metabolic equivalent of task), 1 kilocalorie kg^-1 hour^-1; IPAQ, International Physical Activity Questionnaire; MVIC, maximal voluntary isometric contraction; VAS, visual analog scale.

Shang et al. Arthritis Research & Therapy 2012 14:R236   doi:10.1186/ar4079