Effects of amultimodal inpatient treatment for patients with fibromyalgia syndrome at the Rhineland-Palatinate Acute Rheumatology Center

Abstract

Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is acomplex condition that is often refractory to therapy and is associated with impaired quality of life. In some studies, multimodal rheumatological treatment has been shown to be an effective therapy option for patients with systemic-inflammatory and degenerative rheumatic diseases. However, the effects of this therapeutic approach have not been sufficiently investigated in patients with FMS. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the effect of aconcise 9‑ to 10-day inpatient multimodal fibromyalgia treatment (MFT) using patient-reported outcomes in aGerman cohort. The effects of MFT were assessed using visual analog scales (VAS) for pain(P) and subjective disease activity (DA), questionnaires measuring everyday functional capacity (Health Assessment Questionnaire [HAQ], Funktions-Fragebogen-Hannover [FFbH, Hannover Functional Ability Questionnaire]), and pharmacotherapy at three time points (Visit1: beginning of multimodal therapy, Visit2: end of MFT, and Visit3: 3months after Visit2). Sixty-one patients were enrolled in the study at the Rhineland-Palatinate Acute Rheumatology Center. Under MFT, asignificant improvement in VAS (P) and VAS (DA) was observed between the start and end of treatment (Visit2 versus Visit1: median decrease from 7to 5, p < 0.001, for both VAS [P] and VAS [DA]). Additionally, comparison of the other two assessment points showed achange in VAS (P) (Visit3 versus Visit1: median decrease from 7to 6, p = 0.041, and Visit3 versus Visit2: median increase from 5to 6, p = 0.004). However, there were no significant differences in FFbH and HAQ parameters among the three visits. Examination of the subgroup of patients whose medication therapy was not intensified during hospitalization also showed significant improvements in VAS (P) and VAS (DA) between the start and end of MFB (Visit2 versus Visit1: median decrease from 7to 4, p < 0.001, for VAS[P] and median decrease from 6.25 to 4, p = 0.002, for VAS [DA]). These findings indicate ademonstrable benefit to patients of MFT regarding both pain and subjective disease activity. Furthermore, pain relief was even observed 3months after the end of therapy. This shows the high value of this therapeutic approach to treating patients with FMS.