title: Mindfulness meditation alleviates fibromyalgia symptoms in women: results of a randomized clinical trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Several recent reviews have evaluated evidence on the efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) among fibromyalgia sufferers, and concluded that more research should test effects on both psychological and physiological functioning.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We conducted a randomized prospective trial of MBSR among female fibromyalgia patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Effects on perceived stress, pain, sleep quality, fatigue, symptom severity, and salivary cortisol were tested in treatment (n=51) versus wait-list control participants (n=40) using data at baseline, post-program, and 2-month follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Analyses revealed that MBSR significantly reduced perceived stress, sleep disturbance, and symptom severity, with gains maintained at follow-up. Greater home practice at follow-up was associated with reduced symptom severity. MBSR did not significantly alter pain, physical functioning, or cortisol profiles.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MBSR ameliorated some of the major symptoms of fibromyalgia and reduced subjective illness burden. Further exploration of MBSR effects on physiological stress responses is warranted. These results support use of MBSR as a complementary treatment for women with fibromyalgia (
  34628811).
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Division of Otolaryngology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cash
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Salmon
authors.forename: Inka
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Weissbecker
authors.forename: Whitney N
authors.initials: WN
authors.lastname: Rebholz
authors.forename: René
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bayley-Veloso
authors.forename: Lauren A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Zimmaro
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Floyd
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dedert
authors.forename: Sandra E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Sephton
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005260:Female; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D019122:Meditation / Q000379:methods*; D064866:Mindfulness / Q000379:methods*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care