Is the Pain Just Physical? The Role of Psychological Distress, Quality of Life, and Autistic Traits in Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, an Internet-Based Survey in Italy.

Background: Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS) have been associated with psychological distress, comorbid psychiatric disorders, and worsening in quality of life (QoL). Among the neurodevelopmental disorders, autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have shown the highest rates of co-occurrence with EDS. The reasons for these associations are unknown and a possible role of pain in increasing the risk of psychiatric disorders in EDS has been suggested.