title: A comparison of two multidisciplinary inpatient rehabilitation programmes for fibromyalgia: a register linkage study on work disability.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients with fibromyalgia have a high risk of temporary and permanent work disability. Little is known about the effects of fibromyalgia rehabilitation on work disability.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether a specific fibromyalgia rehabilitation programme is superior to a non-specific musculoskeletal rehabilitation of patients with fibromyalgia in terms of work disability.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective observational study of 215 local government employees with a 6-year post-intervention follow-up to monitor the occurrence of long sick-leave and disability pensions among the participants of two different fibromyalgia rehabilitation programmes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Specific fibromyalgia rehabilitation was not superior to a non-specific musculoskeletal rehabilitation, with the corresponding hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) after adjustments being 1.02 (0.75-1.40) for long sick-leave, 1.18 (0.75-1.87) for very long sick-leave, and 1.07 (0.63-1.83) for disability pension.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that in reducing work disability among patients with fibromyalgia a specific multidisciplinary fibromyalgia rehabilitation programme practised in Finland provides no benefit compared with non-specific multidisciplinary musculoskeletal rehabilitation. Further research is needed to develop an optimal programme (or several different programmes) to control the burden of work disability related to fibromyalgia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Hospital District of South Ostrobotnia, Seinäjoki, Finland. hsuoyr@utu.fi
authors.forename: Heikki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Suoyrjö
authors.forename: Tuula
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Oksanen
authors.forename: Katariina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hinkka
authors.forename: Jaana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pentti
authors.forename: Mika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kivimäki
authors.forename: Timo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Klaukka
authors.forename: Jussi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vahtera
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010415:Pensions; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018582:Sick Leave