Brief pain reprocessing therapy for fibromyalgia: a feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy pilot

Area of Science:

• Pain Medicine
• Behavioral Psychology
• Telehealth Interventions

Background:

• Fibromyalgia (FM) is a prevalent, disabling condition characterized by nociplastic pain.
• Current treatments offer limited efficacy due to potential mechanism mismatches.
• A novel behavioral intervention targeting nociplastic pain mechanisms is needed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the feasibility and acceptability of Brief Pain Reprocessing Therapy (BPRT) for fibromyalgia.
• To assess the preliminary efficacy of a three-session telehealth BPRT intervention.
• To evaluate BPRT's impact on pain intensity, interference, and fear in FM patients.

Main Methods:

• A single-arm, open-label trial involving 35 adults with FM.
• Participants received three one-on-one telehealth BPRT sessions.
• Online questionnaires assessed pain outcomes pre-intervention and at 1, 2, and 3 months post-intervention.

Main Results:

• High completion rate (94.3%) and acceptability of BPRT.
• Significant reductions in average pain intensity, pain interference, and pain-related fear.
• Substantial improvements reported by 42.3% of completers at 3-month follow-up.

Conclusions:

• Brief Pain Reprocessing Therapy (BPRT) is a feasible and acceptable telehealth intervention for FM.
• Preliminary efficacy suggests BPRT can reduce pain, interference, and fear.
• Larger trials are warranted to confirm efficacy and explore mechanisms.