Long-Term Outcomes in Fibromyalgia Patients Treated with Cortical Electrostimulation

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

11-6-2011

Publication Title

Arthritis Rheum

Abstract

Hargrove JB, Bennett RM, Clauw DJ. Long-term outcomes in fibromyalgia patients treated with noninvasive cortical electrostimulation.

Objective

To evaluate long-term outcomes of a noninvasive cortical stimulation technology in the treatment of fibromyalgia (FM).

Design

After trial follow-up survey of subjects who had completed a randomized, controlled, double-blind study of noninvasive cortical stimulation therapy some 45 months previously.

Setting

General community.

Participants

Patients with FM (N=69) who participated in the previous study, 39 of whom were mailed surveys.

Interventions

Not applicable.

Main Outcome Measure

Changes in the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire.

Results

There was a 64% survey return rate. The total Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire score was 52.6 at baseline, 35.7 at end of study, and 31.8 at follow-up (P<.001). Subjects reported symptom improvements lasting at least 2 years, with a reduction or elimination of medicine use and need to see physicians for FM.

Conclusions

A high percentage of patients with FM treated with noninvasive cortical stimulation continued to experience worthwhile improvement at follow-up.

Volume

93

Issue

10

First Page

1868

Last Page

1871

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2012.04.006

ISSN

2326-5191

Rights

Copyright © 2012 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

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