Health and functional status of twins with chronic regional and widespread pain.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the independent effects of chronic regional and widespread pain syndromes on health and functional status after accounting for comorbid chronic fatigue using a co-twin control design. METHODS: We identified 95 twin pairs discordant for pain in which one twin had chronic regional or widespread pain and the other denied chronic pain. Demographic data, functional and psychological status, health behaviors, and symptoms based on the 1994 criteria for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) were assessed by questionnaire. Psychiatric diagnoses were based on structured interview. Random effects regression modeling estimated associations between chronic regional and widespread pain and each health measure with and without adjustment for CFS. RESULTS: Significant differences (p