title: Fibromyalgia with severe forms of progression in a multidisciplinary therapy setting with emphasis on hyperthermia therapy--a prospective controlled study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a multi-factorial disease involving physiological as well as psychological factors. The aim of the study was to investigate a multidisciplinary inpatient treatment with emphasis on hyperthermia therapy by patients with widespread pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study involved 104 patients suffering from severely progressive FMS. A convenience sample and a prospective cohort design were used. The patients were treated in an acute hospital focusing on rheumatologic pain therapy and multidisciplinary complementary medicine. One patient group was treated with inclusion of hyperthermia therapy and the other group without. The therapy density (number of performed therapies per patient) was determined for every patient. Functional capacity measured by the Hannover functional status questionnaire (Funktionsfragebogen Hannover) and symptoms (von Zerssen complaint list) were analyzed for both groups on admission and on discharge.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On admission, no significant difference could be established between control group (CG; multimodal without hyperthermia) and hyperthermia group (HG; multimodal with hyperthermia) (functional capacity, P=0.936). Functional capacity improved for the CG and the HG. On discharge, there was a significant difference between the two groups (functional capacity, P=0.039). There were no significant differences in fibromyalgia symptoms between CG (mean 41.8) and HG (mean 41.8) on their admission to hospital (P=0.988). On discharge, there was a significant difference (P=0.024) between the two groups (HG, mean 30.6; CG, mean 36.6). The inpatient therapy of patients with severely progressive fibromyalgia is characterized by a high frequency of therapy input.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FMS, especially with severe progression and a high degree of chronification, demands a multidisciplinary approach. In addition to the use of complementary medical procedures, integration of hyperthermia in the treatment process is a useful option.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Health Technology Assessment, Division for Organizational Behavior Research and Workplace Health Promotion, University for Health Sciences, Medical Informatics and Technology, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Romeyke
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Health Technology Assessment, Division for Organizational Behavior Research and Workplace Health Promotion, University for Health Sciences, Medical Informatics and Technology, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Hans Christoph
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Scheuer
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Health Technology Assessment, Division for Organizational Behavior Research and Workplace Health Promotion, University for Health Sciences, Medical Informatics and Technology, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Stummer
mesh_terms: D001317:Austria / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000379:methods*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D006979:Hyperthermia, Induced / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods; D010348:Patient Care Team; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: fibromyalgia; hyperthermia; multidisciplinary approach; pain