Post-Diagnostic Lifestyle Adaptations in Fibromyalgia: A Network and Cluster Analysis of Real-World Behavioral Patterns.

BACKGROUND

Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain disorder. Patients often introduce lifestyle changes, including dietary modifications and physical activity, after diagnosis to alleviate symptoms. However, real-world patterns of these post-diagnostic adaptations remain poorly understood.

METHODS

An exploratory cross-sectional study was conducted in 88 patients with fibromyalgia using a study-specific questionnaire. Spearman correlation and network analysis were applied to assess relationships between lifestyle changes. K-means clustering was used to identify adaptation patterns. Differences in symptom severity were evaluated using the Kruskal-Wallis test and regression analysis.

RESULTS

Participants most frequently increased vegetable and water intake and reduced consumption of meat, alcohol, and sugar-sweetened beverages. Network analysis revealed structured co-occurrence patterns among dietary changes. Three clusters were identified: minimal (n = 47), selective (n = 27), and comprehensive (n = 14). No significant association was found between adaptation patterns and symptom severity (p = 0.53).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with fibromyalgia may adopt structured, non-random lifestyle changes following diagnosis. These findings provide a data-driven perspective on real-world behavioral adaptation patterns and highlight the need for longitudinal research to better understand their potential role in disease management.