J Rheumatol
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To determine, in subjects with knee pain but no radiographic changes of tibiofemoral or patellofemoral compartment osteoarthritis (OA), whether mean body weight, quadriceps and hamstring strength, lower extremity muscle mass, depression scores, and perceptions of their general health status differed from those of subjects with symptomatic knee OA. ⋯ Among subjects with knee pain but no OA--and among women in this subset, in particular--knee pain may be a manifestation of depression. rather than of joint disease.
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To translate the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) into German and to evaluate its reliability and validity for the use of German speaking patients with fibromyalgia (FM). ⋯ The German FIQ is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring functional disability and health status in German patients with FM.
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Functional assessment by self-report questionnaire plays an important role in most rheumatic conditions, but psychometric properties of questionnaires have not been studied in fibromyalgia (FM), particularly by Rasch analysis, which allows for examining adequacy of the questionnaire scale. To assess currently used instruments, we examined the Fibromyalgia Impact Scale (FIQ), 4 versions of the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), and the Medical Outcome Survey Short Form (SF-36). ⋯ No available functional assessment questionnaire works well in FM. A new questionnaire, the FHAQ, was developed. It has appropriate metric properties and should function well in this condition. Since the FHAQ is a subset of the larger HAQ questionnaire, a new questionnaire is not required; only a different method of scoring is needed. Additional studies regarding sensitivity to change are required to fully validate the FHAQ.