European journal of pain : EJP
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Review Meta Analysis
The Relationship of Alexithymia to Pain and Other Symptoms in Fibromyalgia: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
People with fibromyalgia (FM) often report having difficulty with emotional identification and expression, and this "alexithymia" may contribute to their pain and other symptoms. Multiple studies have assessed alexithymia in FM, and we systematically reviewed and meta-analyzed this literature to: (a) describe the prevalence of alexithymia in people with FM; (b) compare the level of alexithymia in FM to both healthy controls and controls with other pain conditions; and (c) determine the association of alexithymia to pain intensity, depression, and anxiety in people with FM. ⋯ Due to the high level of alexithymia in people with FM and the positive relationship of alexithymia with pain and psychological distress, interventions to improve emotional awareness, expression, and processing in FM are recommended.