The association of clinical empathy with health-related quality-of-life outcomes in patients with fibromyalgia: a retrospective cohort study

PURPOSE: To measure the association of clinical empathy with health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL) outcomes in patients with fibromyalgia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted within the Pain Registry for Epidemiological, Clinical, and Interventional Studies and Innovation. The Consultation and Relational Empathy (CARE) measure was completed by 226 patients with fibromyalgia to assemble cohorts exposed to low, moderate, or high levels of clinical empathy. Patients were followed at quarterly intervals over 12 months to measure T-scores for anxiety, depression, fatigue, and sleep disturbance using the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System. RESULTS: The mean (SD) age of patients was 52.8 (12.1) years and 204 (90.3%) were female. The median (IQR) CARE measure score was 40 (28-50). After adjusting for potential confounders, the high clinical empathy group reported lesser HRQOL deficits than the low clinical empathy group on all measures. The mean difference (95% CI) for depression was -4.7 (-7.3 to -2.1), which surpassed the threshold for a medium effect size. Other differences represented small effects. CONCLUSIONS: High levels of clinical empathy were associated with better HRQOL outcomes over 12 months in patients with fibromyalgia. Cultivating greater clinical empathy in clinicians who treat patients with fibromyalgia may improve outcomes.