OBJETIVO: descrever as características demográficas, sócio-econômicas e clínicas de pacientes com síndrome da fibromialgia (SF) atendidos no Hospital Santo Antônio em Salvador, BA, Brasil. MÉTODOS: cento e vinte pacientes com SF foram avaliados prospectivamente por dois reumatologistas, quanto aos dados clínico-epidemiológicos e manifestações clínicas. RESULTADOS: todos os pacientes eram do sexo feminino, com média de idade igual a 29,8 anos. A dor difusa foi encontrada em todas as pacientes e fadiga em 94,2% (n=113). Ansiedade foi referida por 105 pacientes (87,5%) e depressão por 47 (39,2%). O tender-point mais encontrado foi o suboccipital direito, em 40% (n=48) dos pacientes e o menos encontrado foi o glúteo direito, em 26,7% (n=26). A média do número total de tender points foi 13,6 (limites de 11 a 18), sendo a média e a mediana 14. O grupo de pacientes que tiveram número de tender-points superior ou igual à mediana apresentou, significativamente, menor renda familiar (p<0,01), maior presença de tabagismo (p<0,01) e distúrbios do sono (p<0,05), quando comparados com os demais. Conclusões: os pacientes avaliados apresentaram diversas características em comum com pacientes de estudos anteriores, mas diferiram quanto às freqüências total e específica de tender-points. Foi significativa a associação de renda familiar baixa, distúrbios do sono e tabagismo com maior quantidade de tender-points.

OBJECTIVE: to describe the demographic, socioeconomic and clinical characteristics of patients with Fibromyialgia Syndrome (FS) assisted at the Hospital Santo Antônio in Salvador, BA, Brazil. METHODS: a hundred and twenty patients with FS were prospectively evaluated by two rheumatologists in relation to the clinical-epidemic data and clinical manifestations. RESULTS: all the patients were female, with average age of 29.8 years. Diffuse pain was found in all patients and fatigue was found in 94.2% (n = 113). Anxiety was referred by 105 patients (87.5%) and depression by 47 (39.2%) of them. The most common tender point found was the right subocciput, reported by 40% (n = 48) of the patients and the less found was the right gluteal, in 26.7% (n = 26). The mean of the total number of tender points was 13.6 (limits from 11 to 18), being the average and the median 14. The patients' group that had the number of tender points superior or equal to the median presented, significantly, lower family income (p < 0.01), larger smoking habit (p < 0.01) and sleeping disturbances (p < 0.05) when compared to the others. CONCLUSIONS: the appraised patients presented several characteristics in common with patients of previous studies, but they differed in relation to the frequencies of total and specific tender points. We found a significant association of low family income, sleeping disturbances and smoking habit with a larger amount of tender points.