Treating fibromyalgia with a brief interdisciplinary program: initial outcomes and predictors of response

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Pain Management
• Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

• Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition characterized by widespread pain and fatigue.
• Effective and accessible treatment options for fibromyalgia are needed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the efficacy of a brief, intensive fibromyalgia treatment program.
• To identify patient characteristics predicting a positive treatment response.

Main Methods:

• A 1.5-day interdisciplinary program was implemented.
• Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) and Multidimensional Pain Inventory (MPI) were used for pre- and post-treatment assessments.
• 100 patients participated, with 74 completing follow-up.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements were observed in FIQ total score (P<.001), MPI pain severity (P<.001), and MPI interference (P=.01).
• High pretreatment FIQ scores, indicating greater impairment, were strongly associated with better treatment outcomes (P<.001).

Conclusions:

• A brief, interdisciplinary fibromyalgia program can effectively reduce symptoms.
• Patients with more severe fibromyalgia may experience the most benefit.
• Findings can inform the development of convenient and effective fibromyalgia treatments.