RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Beyond bones: The relevance of variants of connective tissue (hypermobility) to fibromyalgia, ME/CFS and controversies surrounding diagnostic classification: an observational study JF Clinical Medicine JO Clin Med FD Royal College of Physicians SP 53 OP 58 DO 10.7861/clinmed.2020-0743 VO 21 IS 1 A1 Jessica A Eccles A1 Beth Thompson A1 Kristy Themelis A1 Marisa L Amato A1 Robyn Stocks A1 Amy Pound A1 Anna-Marie Jones A1 Zdenka Cipinova A1 Lorraine Shah-Goodwin A1 Jean Timeyin A1 Charlotte R Thompson A1 Thomas Batty A1 Neil A Harrison A1 Hugo D Critchley A1 Kevin A Davies YR 2021 UL http://www.rcpjournals.org/content/21/1/53.abstract AB Background Fibromyalgia and myalgic encephalomyelitis / chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) are poorly understood conditions with overlapping symptoms, fuelling debate as to whether they are manifestations of the same spectrum or separate entities. Both are associated with hypermobility, but this remains significantly undiagnosed, despite impact on quality of life.Objective We planned to understand the relevance of hypermobility to symptoms in fibromyalgia and ME/CFS.Method Sixty-three patient participants presented with a confirmed diagnosis of fibromyalgia and/or ME/CFS; 24 participants were healthy controls. Patients were assessed for symptomatic hypermobility.Results Evaluations showed exceptional overlap in patients between fibromyalgia and ME/CFS, plus 81% met Brighton criteria for hypermobility syndrome (odds ratio 7.08) and 18% met 2017 hypermobile Ehlers–Danlos syndrome (hEDS) criteria. Hypermobility scores significantly predicted symptom levels.Conclusion Symptomatic hypermobility is particularly relevant to fibromyalgia and ME/CFS, and our findings highlight high rates of mis-/underdiagnosis. These poorly understood conditions have a considerable impact on quality of life and our observations have implications for diagnosis and treatment targets.