Objective: We investigated the relationship of fibromyalgia (FM) tender points to other manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Methods: Sixty-seven RA patients completed questionnaires at study entry and described symptoms, emotionally significant events, and mood every evening for 75 days. Joint and tender point examinations were conducted every 2 weeks.
Results: Controlling for joint tenderness, the tender point count correlated with the degree of daily stress. Depression was not significantly related when daily stress was controlled for.
Conclusion: We conclude that FM tender point counts correlate uniquely with RA patients' reports of daily stress.