Objectives. This study aimed to determine patient-related predictors of treatment satisfaction in fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS)-patients.Methods. In a cross-sectional survey, participants with self-reported diagnosis of FMS were recruited by FMS-self help organisations and clinical institutions. The patients answered demographic and medical questionnaires, the Fibromyalgia Survey Questionnaire (FSQ) including the Somatic Severity Score (SSS) and Widespread Pain Index (WPI), the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-4), and rated their treatment satisfaction on an 11-point Likert scale. The impact of patient-related variables (age, gender, partnership, educational level, time since onset of pain, time since FMS-diagnosis, health status since diagnosis, membership in FMS self-help organisations, polysymptomatic distress, anxiety and depression) and types of treatment on treatment satisfaction were tested by a multiple regression analysis.Results. The study sample (n=1651 patients) was composed mainly of middle-aged women with a long disease history, and 83.9% fulfilled the American College of Rheumatology diagnostic criteria of 2010. There was considerate variety regarding treatment satisfaction in FMS-patients, 14.8% reported no, 31.7% low, 40.8% moderate and 12.7% high satisfaction. Higher satisfaction was predicted by longer time since FMS diagnosis (p=0.03), improved health status since FMS-diagnosis (p<0.0001), lower depression score (p=0.005) and higher amount of active therapies (p<0.0001). Other sociodemographic (age, gender etc.) and disease-related variables (polysymptomatic distress intensity) did not influence treatment satisfaction.Conclusion. The results of the study illustrate the influence of patient-related factors on treatment satisfaction. Treating comorbid depression and enabling patients to actively cope with the disease might prove successful in improving treatment satisfaction of FMS-patients.

Aus Deutschland lagen keine Daten zu demografischen und klinischen Charakteristika der Mitglieder von Fibromyalgiesyndrom (FMS)-Selbsthilfegruppen vor.

Verbraucherberichte liefern Informationen über den Nutzen und Schaden von Therapieverfahren in der klinischen Routineversorgung. Wir berichten über den ersten Verbraucherbericht von Fibromyalgiesyndrom(FMS)-Betroffenen in Europa.

BACKGROUND:Consumer reports provide information on benefits and harms in routine clinical care. We report the first fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) consumer reports in Europe. MATERIAL AND METHODS:The study was carried out from November 2010 to April 2011. The benefits and harms of pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies experienced by the patient were assessed in an 11-point Likert scale (0=no, 10=very high benefit or harm) by a questionnaire. The questionnaire was distributed by the German League against Rheumatism and the German Fibromyalgia Association to their members and to all consecutive FMS patients of nine clinical centers of different levels of care. RESULTS:A total of 1,661 questionnaires (95% women, mean age 54 years) were analyzed. Self-management strategies (distraction, resting, aerobic exercise), physical therapies (warm and pool therapies), psychological therapies (education, psychotherapy), and inpatient multicomponent therapies were judged to be more efficacious and less harmful than all types of pharmacological therapies. CONCLUSION:The German fibromyalgia consumer reports highlight the importance of non-pharmcological therapies in the long-term management of FMS.

BACKGROUND:A guideline for the treatment and diagnostic procedures in fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) was developed in cooperation with 10 German medical and psychological associations and 2 patient self-help groups. METHODS:A systematic literature search including all controlled studies of evaluated multicomponent therapy was performed in the Cochrane Collaboration Reviews (1993-12/2006), Medline (1980-12/2006), PsychInfo (1966-12/2006) and Scopus (1980-12/ 2006). Levels of evidence were assigned according to the classification system of the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine. Grading of the strengths of recommendations was done according to the German program for disease management guidelines. Standardized procedures to reach a consensus on recommendations were used. RESULTS:Cognitive and operant behavioral therapy is strongly recommended (grade A). Guided imagery/hypnotherapy and written emotional disclosure are recommended (grade B). CONCLUSIONS:Psychotherapeutic programs tailored to FMS subgroups should be developed and tested.

Eine interdisziplinäre Leitlinie zur Therapie des Fibromyalgiesyndroms (FMS) wurde in Kooperation von 10 medizinischen bzw. psychologischen Fachgesellschaften und 2 Patientenselbsthilfeorganisationen erstellt.