Rheumatology Advance Access originally published online on February 3, 2005
Rheumatology 2005 44(4):539-546; doi:10.1093/rheumatology/keh537
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Rheumatology Vol. 44 No. 4 © British Society for Rheumatology 2005; all rights reserved
Spa treatment for primary fibromyalgia syndrome: a combination of thalassotherapy, exercise and patient education improves symptoms and quality of life
1 Department of Rheumatology, Medisch Spectrum Twente Hospital and 2 Department of Rheumatology and Communication Studies, University Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands and 3 Mongi Slim Hospital, Department of Rheumatology, Tunis, Tunisia.
Correspondence to: T. R. Zijlstra, Campherbeeklaan 105, 8024 BV Zwolle, The Netherlands. E-mail: t.r.zijlstra{at}worldonline.nl
Objectives. To study the effect of a combination of thalassotherapy, exercise and patient education in people with fibromyalgia.
Methods. Patients with fibromyalgia, selected from a rheumatology out-patient department and from members of the Dutch fibromyalgia patient association, were pre-randomized to receive either 2
weeks of treatment in a Tunisian spa resort, including thalassotherapy, supervised exercise and group education (active treatment) or treatment as usual (control treatment). Primary outcome measure was health-related quality of life, measured with the RAND-36 questionnaire. Secondary measures included the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire, the McGill Pain Questionnaire, the Beck Depression Inventory, tender point score and a 6-min treadmill walk test.
Results. Fifty-eight participants receiving the active treatment reported significant improvement on RAND-36 physical and mental component summary scales. For physical health, differences from the 76 controls were statistically significant after 3 months, but not after 6 and 12 months. A similar pattern of temporary improvement was seen in the self-reported secondary measures. Tender point scores and treadmill walk tests improved more after active treatment, but did not reach significant between-group differences, except for walk tests after 12 months.
Conclusions. A combination of thalassotherapy, exercise and patient education may temporarily improve fibromyalgia symptoms and health-related quality of life.
KEY WORDS: Fibromyalgia, Thalassotherapy, Exercise, Health-related quality of life
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