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The Efficacy of Mindfulness Meditation Plus Qigong Movement Therapy in the Treatment of Fibromyalgia: A Randomized Controlled Trial
JOHN A. ASTIN, BRIAN M. BERMAN, BARKER BAUSELL, WEN-LIN LEE, MARC HOCHBERG, and KELLY L. FORYS
ABSTRACT.
Methods. A total of 128 individuals with FM were randomly assigned to the mind-body training program or an education support group that served as the control. Outcome measures were pain, disability (Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire), depression, myalgic score (number and severity of tender points), 6 minute walk time, and coping strategies, which were assessed at baseline and at 8, 16, and 24 weeks. Results. Both groups registered statistically significant improvements across time for the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire, Total Myalgic Score, Pain, and Depression, and no improvement in the number of feet traversed in the 6 minute walk. However, there was no difference in either the rate or magnitude of these changes between the mind-body training group and the education control group. Salutary changes occurring by the eighth week (which corresponded to the end of the mind-body and education control group sessions) were largely maintained by both groups throughout the 6 month followup period. Conclusion. While both groups showed improvement on a number of outcome variables, there was no evidence that the multimodal mind-body intervention for FM was superior to education and support as a treatment option. Additional randomized controlled trials are needed before interventions of this kind can be recommended for treatment of FM. (J Rheumatol 2003;30:2257-62) Key Indexing Terms:
MEDITATION
From the California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute, San Francisco, California, USA. This study was carried out at the Complementary Medicine Program, University of Maryland School of Medicine, and funded by a grant from the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, National Institutes of Health (5 P50AT00084-03). J.A. Astin, PhD, California Pacific Medical Center; B.M. Berman, MD; B. Bausell, PhD; W-L. Lee, PhD; M. Hochberg, MD, University of Maryland School of Medicine; K.L. Forys, MA, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. Address reprint requests to Dr. J.A. Astin, California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute, 2300 California Street, Room 207, San Francisco, CA 94115. E-mail: jastin@cooper.cpmc.org Submitted November 4, 2002; revision accepted February 13, 2003. |