Pain scores (which have a theoretical range of 6–25) went from a mean baseline of 20 in the pain-avoidance treatment arm to 16 at the end of treatment and 17 at 6 months of follow-up. In the pain-persistence arm, pain scores went from a baseline of 19 to 16, then 16 at follow-up. Pain scores were unchanged over time in the control arm.
Similarly, the impact of fibromyalgia on daily life as assessed by the FIQ (with a theoretical range of 0–100 points) went from a baseline of 66 to 48 at the end of pain-avoidance therapy, with a modest rebound to 50 at 6 months of follow-up.
In the pain-persistence arm, scores improved from a baseline of 57 to 47 at treatment's end and 43 at follow-up. Again, scores were flat over time in the control arms.
The encouraging results with tailored therapy in this study are particularly welcome because of the dearth of effective treatment options for fibromyalgia, Ms. Van Koulil said.
Disclosures: The study was financially supported by the Dutch Arthritis Association and the Netherlands Organization for Health Research. Ms. van Koulil reported having no conflicts of interest.
Each 4-hour treatment session included cognitive behavioral therapy and exercise training.
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