[Polymyalgia rheumatica--fibromyalgia-syndrome: symptoms, syndromes or diseases?].

Polymyalgia rheumatica and Fibromyalgia are probably not distinct clinical entities. Rather polymyalgia rheumatica is the common denomiator of a large spectrum of different diseases. The historical separation between Polymyalgia rheumatica and Giant-Cell Arteritis is no more clinically applicable in most cases. A better clinical approach is to view them as extrems of a continuum. Similarly, fibromyalgia is one manifestation of chronic pain syndromes of undetermined etiology. In addition, fibromyalgia can often not be delineated clearely from functional disorders, including depression.