Table 3

Differences in physiological variables between fibromyalgia syndrome patients and healthy controls

Phase

FMS (N = 90)

HC (N = 30)

p value

Mean

SD

Mean

SD

EMG

Baseline

8.97

(4.75)

14.52

(5.12)

<0.001

Relax 1

8.77

(4.83)

15.83

(5.23)

<0.001

Mental arithmetic

10.44

(5.89)

17.10

(9.07)

<0.001

Relax 2

8.91

(4.91)

17.60

(9.44)

<0.001

Social conflict

9.59

(5.59)

17.04

(8.92)

<0.001

Relax 3

9.63

(6.33)

18.50

(10.51)

<0.001

SCL

Baseline

1.81

(1.70)

1.65

(0.64)

ns

Relax 1

1.89

(1.78)

1.59

(0.62)

ns

Mental arithmetic

2.81

(2.65)

1.92

(0.74)

<0.005

Relax 2

2.31

(2.01)

1.76

(0.69)

ns

Social conflict

2.76

(2.11)

1.79

(0.72)

<0.005

Relax 3

2.41

(2.15)

1.69

(0.71)

ns

HR

Baseline

77.07

(11.22)

68.56

(22.49)

ns

Relax 1

75.45

(10.54)

65.68

(21.11)

<0.005

Mental arithmetic

78.32

(13.64)

75.85

(24.72)

ns

Relax 2

73.36

(10.86)

66.47

(19.55)

ns

Social conflict

77.88

(10.64)

66.85

(20.88)

ns

Relax 3

73.96

(9.59)

62.79

(18.11)

<0.005

SBP

Baseline

133.5

(19.03)

132.9

(13.40)

ns

Relax 1

131.4

(16.65)

130.4

(11.58)

ns

Mental arithmetic

141.7

(19.52)

140.8

(14.35)

ns

Relax 2

128.1

(13.20)

124.9

(21.00)

ns

Social conflict

146.5

(15.09)

139.7

(18.29)

ns

Relax 3

135.6

(14.31)

131.9

(23.38)

ns

DBP

Baseline

78.43

(13.89)

77.10

(8.83)

ns

Relax 1

76.23

(8.27)

76.24

(7.79)

ns

Mental arithmetic

81.11

(10.80)

82.51

(10.83)

ns

Relax 2

76.82

(14.54)

73.37

(7.61)

ns

Social conflict

85.81

(9.33)

83.74

(10.29)

ns

Relax 3

77.57

(7.75)

78.04

(9.60)

ns

DBP, diastolic blood pressure; EMG, electromyographic activity; FMS, fibromyalgia syndrome; HC, healthy controls; HR, heart rate; ns, not significant; SBP, systolic blood pressure; SCL, skin conductance level.

Thieme and Turk Arthritis Research & Therapy 2006 8:R9   doi:10.1186/ar1863