Demographic and clinical characteristics and functional status of patients with benign joint hypermobility syndrome

Abstract

Aims: This study aimed to compare the demographic, clinical features, and psychosocial status of patients with benign joint hypermobility syndrome (BJHS) and those without BJHS who have musculoskeletal pain. Methods: Patients referred to the Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation outpatient clinic due to musculoskeletal system pain were divided into two groups according to the Brighton diagnostic criteria as BJHS and non-BJHS. The demographic characteristics of the patients in both groups, clinical findings with physical examination, anamnesis, physical examination, myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) or fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) presence, pain severity with visual pain scale (VAS), Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36), and depression status assessed by the Beck Depression Index (BDI) were recorded. Results: The number of painful involvement sites was significantly higher in the BJHS group than in the control group (p< 0.000). The VAS during exercise and at rest were statistically significantly higher in the BJHS group (p< 0.000). The incidence of MPS (p< 0.000) and FMS (p=0.040) was statistically higher in the BJHS group. No statistically significant difference was found in the BDI between the groups (p=0.179). In terms of function status assessment, the BJHS group had statistically significantly lower subparameters of Short Form-36, including pain, overall health, energy, and social activities, than the control group (p=0.011, p=0.001, p=0.027, and p=0.043, respectively). Conclusions: Subjects with BJHS had more overlapping clinical features such as FMS and MPS with more severe and diffuse pain when compared to non-BJHS subjects. But there are no significantly differences in psychosocial status. These points should be considered when designing interventions for improving the functional status of BJHS subjects.