Dataset Information

Demographic Characteristics and Clinical Features of Fibromyalgia in China: A Cross-Sectional Study.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

The aim of this study is to characterize the demographics, fibromyalgia-related symptom severity and quality of life (QOL) among Chinese fibromyalgia patients.

Methods

A total of 124 patients who met the ACR 1990 criteria were recruited. Each subject completed a packet of questionnaires for collecting data on the demographics, medical history and severity of six major symptoms of fibromyalgia (i.e., pain, fatigue, sleep quality, depression, stress and QOL).

Results

The majority of the study subjects were women (86.3%), were married (78.2%) and had a mean age of 49.4 years and a median symptom duration of 24 months. Compared to their female counterparts, male patients were younger, were more likely to be employed, had a higher income and were more likely to be current smokers and alcohol drinkers (all p ≦ 0.027). Most patients experienced moderate to severe pain (69.4%), severe fatigue (70.2%) and moderate to severe depression (53.3%). A small percentage (19.4%) of the patients had very poor quality of sleep, and over one third (37.1%) suffered from moderate to severe stress. Less than one third (27.5%) patients' health status was moderately or highly impacted by fibromyalgia. The mental health of men was affected significantly more than that of women, with lower SF-36 scores in the SF-36 mental component summary (p = 0.043) and role emotional (p = 0.006).

Conclusion

This study has revealed that Chinese fibromyalgia patients might share similar demographics but milder fibromyalgia-related symptoms and better mental QOL compared to patients of other races and ethnic groups. Some differences between male and female patients were found, too. Further cross-sectional studies with a larger sample size and nationwide study sites are needed to replicate those clinical findings.

SUBMITTER: Jiao J

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8217401 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Similar Datasets

Project description:BACKGROUND:While the importance of medical students' demographic characteristics in influencing the scope and location of their future practice is recognized, these data are not systematically collected in Canada. This study aimed to characterize and compare the demographics of Canadian medical students with the Canadian population. METHODS:Through an online survey, delivered in 2018, medical students at 14 English-speaking Canadian medical schools provided their age, sex, gender identity, ethnicity, educational background, and rurality of the area they grew up in. Respondents also provided information on parental income, occupation, and education as markers of socioeconomic status. Data were compared to the 2016 Canadian Census. RESULTS:A total of 1388 students responded to the survey, representing a response rate of 16.6%. Most respondents identified as women (63.1%) and were born after 1989 (82.1%). Respondents were less likely, compared to the Canadian Census population, to identify as black (1.7% vs 6.4%) (P?<?0.001) or Aboriginal (3.5% vs. 7.4%) (P?<?0.001), and have grown up in a rural area (6.4% vs. 18.7%) (P?<?0.001). Respondents had higher socioeconomic status, indicated by parental education (29.0% of respondents' parents had a master's or doctoral degree, compared to 6.6% of Canadians aged 45-64), occupation (59.7% of respondents' parents were high-level managers or professionals, compared to 19.2% of Canadians aged 45-64), and income (62.9% of respondents grew up in households with income >$100,000/year, compared to 32.4% of Canadians). Assessment of non-response bias showed that our sample was representative of all students at English-speaking Canadian medical schools with respect to age, though a higher proportion of respondents were female. Additionally, there were no differences between early and late respondents with respect to ethnicity, rurality, and parental income, occupation, and education. CONCLUSIONS:Canadian medical students have different socioeconomic characteristics compared to the Canadian population. Collecting and analyzing these characteristics can inform evidence-based admissions policies.

Project description:BackgroundRest-activity rhythm (RAR), a manifestation of circadian rhythms, has been associated with morbidity and mortality risk. However, RAR patterns in the general population and specifically the role of demographic characteristics in RAR pattern have not been comprehensively assessed. Therefore, we aimed to describe RAR patterns among non-institutionalized US adults and age, sex, and race/ethnicity variation using accelerometry data from a nationally representative population.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted using the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011-2014. Participants aged ≥20 years who were enrolled in the physical activity monitoring examination and had at least four 24-h periods of valid wrist accelerometer data were included in the present analysis. 24-h RAR metrics were generated using both extended cosinor model (amplitude, mesor, acrophase and pseudo-F statistic) and nonparametric methods (interdaily stability [IS] and intradaily variability [IV]). Multivariable linear regression was used to assess the association between RAR and age, sex, and race/ethnicity.ResultsEight thousand two hundred participants (mean [SE] age, 49.1 [0.5] years) were included, of whom 52.2% were women and 67.3% Whites. Women had higher RAR amplitude and mesor, and also more robust (pseudo-F statistic), more stable (higher IS) and less fragmented (lower IV) RAR (all P trend < 0.001) than men. Compared with younger adults (20-39 years), older adults (≥ 60 years) exhibited reduced RAR amplitude and mesor, but more stable and less fragmented RAR, and also reached their peak activity earlier (advanced acrophase) (all P trend < 0.001). Relative to other racial/ethnic groups, Hispanics had the highest amplitude and mesor level, and most stable (highest IS) and least fragmented (lowest IV) RAR pattern (P trend < 0.001). Conversely, non-Hispanic blacks had the lowest peak activity level (lowest amplitude) and least stable (lowest IS) RAR pattern (all P trend < 0.001).ConclusionsIn the general adult population, RAR patterns vary significantly according to sex, age and race/ethnicity. These results may reflect demographic-dependent differences in intrinsic circadian rhythms and may have important implications for understanding racial, ethnic, sex and other disparities in morbidity and mortality risk.

Project description:BACKGROUND:Seborrheic dermatitis (SD) is a common, chronic, inflammatory skin disorder, yet few studies have reported its clinical characteristics, or addressed its effect on quality of life (QoL). This study assesses the clinical characteristics and QoL of SD patients in China. It also identifies the clinical, demographic and environmental factors that may influence QoL. METHODS:Three hundred twelve SD outpatients from 9 hospitals completed a survey. QoL was measured with the dermatology-specific instrument Skindex-29. We collected social demographic characteristics and disease severity, and conducted logistic regression to determine the factors associated with QoL impairment. RESULTS:67.3% of the patients were females. The mean Skindex-29 overall score was 33.97 (SD?=?20.55). The breakdown was 40.79 (SD?=?24.24) for emotions, 32.83 (SD?=?19.84) for symptoms and 28.3 (SD?=?23.24) for functioning. 48.1% had severe emotional problems. Logistic regression analysis showed that BMI less than 25 (OR?=?0.223; 95% CI: 0.072-0.692; P?=?0.009), skin disease-related hospitalization (OR?=?6.882; 95% CI:1.767-26.795; P?=?0.005), environmental PM 10 levels above 120??g/m3 (OR?=?3.386; 95% CI: 1.253-9.15; P?=?0.016) and severe disease conditions (OR?=?4.438; 95% CI:1.26-15.626; P?=?0.02) were risk factors for severe emotional impairment. Moreover, skin disease-related hospitalization (OR?=?6.057; 95% CI:1.351-27.149; P?=?0.019), environmental PM 10 levels between 70 and 120??g/m3 (OR?=?6.317; 94% CI: 1.704-23.42; P?=?0.006), moderate (OR?=?2.388; 95% CI: 1.272-4.487; P?=?0.007) and severe disease conditions (OR?=?5.732; 95% CI: 1.838-17.88; P?=?0.003) were each risk factors for overall severe impairment. CONCLUSION:In China, nearly half of SD patients had severely emotional problems. Disease severity, BMI, dermatologic hospitalization, and ambient PM 10 levels are each risk factors for QoL impairment in SD patients. These implications are alarming, and warrant public health attention in SD disease management.

Project description:BackgroundThere is an increasing global trend towards the widespread over-medicalisation of labour and childbirth. The present study aimed to investigate pregnant women's clinical characteristics, intrapartum interventions, duration of labour and its associated factors; and to compare the differences of these variables between nulliparas and multiparas in China.MethodsA multi-center cross-sectional study was carried out in three tertiary hospitals of Fudan University in Shanghai, China. A total of 1523 participants were approched and assessed for eligibility. Data on women's sociodemographic characteristics, intrapartum interventions, and duration of labour were measured and collected. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed to present the curves of total duration of labour by parity. After z-transformation of labour duration, multivariable linear regression was used to control for confounding and to identify independent associations between potential associated factors and the primary outcome of labour duration.ResultsOverall, 1209 eligible women agreed to participate and were investigated. Rates of different intrapartum interventions were 27.4% in use of amniotomy, 37.9% in use of oxytocin, 53.0% in continuous electronic fetal monitoring, and 52.9% in epidural use, respectively. The curve of total duration of labour was significantly different between nulliparas and multiparas (P <?.001). Of the 1209 participants, 983 (81.3%) women eventually achieved successful vaginal birth while 226 (18.7%) women ended in intrapartum caesarean section. The median duration of total stage of labour was significantly longer in the nulliparous group [9.38 (6.33,14.10) hours] than that in the multiparous group [5.08 (3.00,7.83) hours] (P <?.001). The following factors were independently associated with longer duration of total stage of labour: epidural analgesia (P <?.001), primiparity (P <?.001), continuous electronic fetal monitoring (P =?.035), and increased birth weight (P =?.005).ConclusionsIntrapartum medical interventions become common obstetric practices in urban China. Multifactorial variables independently associated with longer duration of labour were identified, including epidural analgesia, primiparity, continuous electronic fetal monitoring, and increased birth weight. Further research is required to validate these variables and to determine the modifiable factors for labour management. And models of care with lower intervention rates such as midwife-led models of care should be developed and implemented in China.