Re: Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials ofNonpharmacological Interventions for Fibromyalgia

[Guest guest]

Hi, today I walked through Lowe's, lots of concrete floors and got a

humongous leg and foot cramp...it went all the way up my leg and into my hip

and badk...tonght it is really sore...I took a pain pill and put blue

on...hope it clears up before I get on the plane Sunday....I haven't had a

pain like this is awhile,,I am excitged about this trip..and dont think I a

stressed about flying...but this is the worse pain I have had in several

months...usually it's just a rough night...I am hoping that it will be

better in the a.m. sleep seems to have eluded me...plan to take a nap on

Saturday...willl talk with you all after the 13th when I get back from Las

Vegas...wishing you a great week...marge

[ ] Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials

ofNonpharmacological Interventions for Fibromyalgia

> The Clinical Journal of Pain 2002; 18(5):324-336

>

>

> Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials of Nonpharmacological

> Interventions for Fibromyalgia

> *Julius Sim, Ph.D.; Nicola , Ph.D., C.Psychol.

>

> Abstract:

>

> Objective:

> Little is known of the effectiveness of nonpharmacological interventions

for

> fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). The authors therefore carried out a

systematic

> review from 1980 to May 2000 of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of

> nonpharmacological interventions for FMS.

>

> Method:

> A search of computerized databases was supplemented by hand searching of

> bibliographies of key publications. The methodological quality of studies

> included in the review was evaluated independently by two researchers

> according to a set of formal criteria. Discrepancies in scoring were

> resolved through discussion.

>

> Results:

> The review yielded 25 RCTs, and the main categories of interventions

tested

> in the studies were exercise therapy, educational intervention, relaxation

> therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, acupuncture, and forms of

> hydrotherapy. Methodological quality of studies was fairly low (mean score

=

> 49.5/100). Most studies had small samples (median n for individual

treatment

> groups after randomization = 20), and the mean power of the studies to

> detect a medium effect (d [ge] 0.5) was 0.36. Sixteen studies had blinded

> outcome assessment, but patients were blinded in only 6 studies. The

median

> longest follow-up was 16 weeks. Statistically significant between-group

> differences on at least one outcome variable were reported in 17 of the 24

> studies.

>

> Conclusions:

> The varying combinations of interventions studied in the RCTs and the wide

> range of outcome measures used make it hard to form conclusions across

> studies. Strong evidence did not emerge in respect to any single

> intervention, though preliminary support of moderate strength existed for

> aerobic exercise. There is a need for larger, more methodologically

rigorous

> RCTs in this area.

>

>

>

>

>