Six- and 24-month follow-up of pool exercise therapy and education for patients with fibromyalgia.
OBJECTIVE
To follow patients with fibromyalgia six and 24 months after they finished a six-month treatment programme. The programme comprised pool exercise therapy, adjusted to the patients' limitations, and education based on their health problems.


METHODS
Twenty-six patients were examined six and 24 months after the completion of the treatment programme with the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), SF-36, the 6-minute walk test, and the Grippit measure. The values obtained at the follow-up examinations were compared with the baseline and post-treatment values.


RESULTS
As compared with baseline, symptom severity (FIQ, SF-36), physical function (FIQ, SF-36, 6-minute walk test) and quality of life (SF-36) still showed improvements six months after the completion of treatment (p <0.05). Pain (FIQ, SF-36), fatigue (FIQ, SF-36), walking ability, and social function (SF-36) still showed improvements 2 years after the completion of the programme as compared with the baseline values (p < 0.05). No significant changes were found for these variables, when the values obtained at the two follow-up examinations were compared with those of the post-treatment examination.


CONCLUSIONS
Improvements in symptom severity, physical function and social function were still found six and 24 months after the completed treatment programme.
Mannerkorpi
Kaisa
K
Department of Physical Therapy, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden. Kaisa.Mannerkorpi@vgregion.se
Ahlmén
Monica
M
Ekdahl
Charlotte
C
D005260:Female; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D006875:Hydrotherapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013550:Swimming; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014938:Work Capacity Evaluation