Is Fibromyalgia Worse For Young Patients?

According to a Mayo Clinic study, young to middle-aged Fibromyalgia sufferers report worse symptoms and a poorer quality of life than older patients. Suggesting that fibro is experienced differently for people in different age groups.

” Researchers studied 978 fibromyalgia patients and divided them into three age groups: those 39 or younger, those 50 to 59, and those 60 or older. The younger and middle-aged patients were likelier to be employed, unmarried, smokers and have a higher education level, lower body mass index, more abuse history and a shorter duration of fibromyalgia symptoms than older patients.

“Among the three age groups of young, middle-aged and older, symptom severity and quality of life differs,” says senior author Terry Oh, M.D., a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. The study’s findings were surprising, because quality of life and physical health are considered to be negatively associated with age,”

For many this problems seems to backwards or opposite of what you may have believed. I know I figured that since older age played a big factor in many other health issues that it did with fibromyalgia as well.
Why Not with Fibro?

I’m really not sure. There still needs to be more research on the subject.  It could be partly due to the changes in diet from generation to generation. Years ago, fast food was not as prevalent as it is today, nor was processed food in general. Today, younger people today often eat these foods as part of their normal diet.

Age may also play a role in how treatments work. It could be possible that some treatments simply work less on younger patients.  If that is the case, then it is possible the treatments could change drastically and be more individualized and maybe even work better for everyone!
What are your thoughts? Have you seen the difference in symptoms in different age groups?

Sources:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131027123155.htm, http://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/young-fibromyalgia-patients-report-worse-symptoms-than-older-patients-mayo-clinic-study-shows, http://www.inspiredlivingwithfibromyalgia.com/blog