Assessment of the therapeutic potential of lutein and beta-carotene nanodispersions in a rat model of fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and cognitive impairment. Despite the availability of various treatment options, FM remains a challenging condition to manage. In the present study, we investigated the efficacy of formulated nanodispersions of lutein and beta-carotene in treating FM-related symptoms induced by reserpine in female Wistar rats. Several techniques have been implemented to assess this efficacy at various levels, including biochemical, bioelectrical, and behavioral. Namely, oxidative stress markers, monoamine levels, electrocorticography, pain threshold test, and open field test were conducted on control, FM-induced, and FM-treated groups of animals. Our results provided compelling evidence for the efficacy of carotenoid nanodispersions in treating FM-related symptoms. Specifically, we found that the dual action of the nanodispersion, as both antioxidant and antidepressant, accounted for their beneficial effects in treating FM. With further investigation, nano-carotenoids and particularly nano-lutein could potentially become an effective alternative treatment for patients with FM who do not respond to current treatment options.

A Comparative Assessment of the Inflammatory Markers in Patients with Fibromyalgia under Duloxetine Treatment.

BACKGROUND: This study was carried out to compare the levels of inflammatory markers in the complete blood count before and after they began receiving duloxetine in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). METHODS: The patient and control groups were composed of 40 patients diagnosed with FMS in accordance with the 2016 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria and 40 healthy volunteers, respectively. The data collection tools comprised the sociodemographic information form, the fibromyalgia impact questionnaire (FIQ), and the sleep hygiene index (SHI), which were used to assess patients' sociodemographic characteristics, FMS disease activity, and sleep quality, respectively. The inflammatory markers of the patient group were assessed by complete blood count before and after the duloxetine treatment and compared with those of the control group. RESULTS: The white blood cell (WBC), neutrophil, and lymphocyte counts were significantly higher in the patient group than in the control group (p < 0.001, p = 0.036 and p = 0.004, respectively). Moreover, platelet distribution width (PDW) was significantly lower, whereas mean platelet volume (MPV) was significantly higher in the patient group than in the control group (p < 0.001 for both cases). In addition to patients' platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) values, C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, and white blood cell (WBC) counts decreasing but not significantly (p = 0.083, p = 0.068, and p = 0.065, respectively), their neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), hemoglobin (Hgb), and hematocrit (Hct) values declined substantially after commencing duloxetine treatment (p = 0.001, p = 0.008, and p = 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The significant reduction in NLR, Hgb, and Hct levels following duloxetine treatment may indicate that these parameters can be utilized as biomarkers in determining the efficacy of treatment and in the follow-up of the treatment in FMS patients.

Assessment of clinical outcomes in patients with fibromyalgia: Analysis from the UK Medical Cannabis Registry.

INTRODUCTION: There are limited therapeutic options for individuals with fibromyalgia. The aim of this study is to analyze changes in health-related quality of life and incidence of adverse events of those prescribed cannabis-based medicinal products (CBMPs) for fibromyalgia. METHODS: Patients treated with CBMPs for a minimum of 1 month were identified from the UK Medical Cannabis Registry. Primary outcomes were changes in validated patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). A p-value of <.050 was deemed statistically significant. RESULTS: In total, 306 patients with fibromyalgia were included for analysis. There were improvements in global health-related quality of life at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months (p < .0001). The most frequent adverse events were fatigue (n = 75; 24.51%), dry mouth (n = 69; 22.55%), concentration impairment (n = 66; 21.57%), and lethargy (n = 65; 21.24%). CONCLUSION: CBMP treatment was associated with improvements in fibromyalgia-specific symptoms, in addition to sleep, anxiety, and health-related quality of life. Those who reported prior cannabis use appeared to have a greater response. CBMPs were generally well-tolerated. These results must be interpreted within the limitations of study design.

Difficult to treat psoriatic arthritis - how should we manage?

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a chronic, multi-domain immune-mediated inflammatory arthritis with a high disease burden. PsA patients have significant co-morbidities like obesity, depression, fibromyalgia which can impact disease activity assessment. The management of PsA has undergone a paradigm shift over the last decade due to the availability of multiple biologic and targeted synthetic disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs. Despite the availability of multiple therapeutic agents, it is not uncommon to find patients not responding adequately and continuing to have active disease and/or high disease burden. In our review, we propose what is "difficult to treat PsA", discuss differential diagnosis, commonly overlooked factors, co-morbidities that affect treatment responses, and suggest a stepwise algorithm to manage these patients.

Study protocol for a randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled phase III trial examining the add-on efficacy, cost-utility and neurobiological effects of low-dose naltrexone (LDN) in patients with fibromyalgia (INNOVA study).

INTRODUCTION: There is evidence that low-dose naltrexone (LDN; <5.0 mg/day) reduces pain and improves the quality of life of people with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). However, no randomised controlled trials with long-term follow-ups have been carried out. The INNOVA study will evaluate the add-on efficacy, safety, cost-utility and neurobiological effects of LDN for reducing pain in patients with FMS, with a 1-year follow-up. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A single-site, prospective, randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, parallel design phase III trial will be performed. Eligibility criteria include being adult, having a diagnosis of FMS and experiencing pain of 4 or higher on a 10-point numerical rating scale. Participants will be randomised to a LDN intervention group (4.5 mg/day) or to a placebo control group. Clinical assessments will be performed at baseline (T0), 3 months (T1), 6 months (T2) and 12 months (T3). The primary endpoint will be pain intensity. A sample size of 60 patients per study arm (120 in total), as calculated prior to recruitment for sufficient power, will be monitored between January 2022 and August 2024. Assessment will also include daily ecological momentary evaluations of FMS-related symptoms (eg, pain intensity, fatigue and sleep disturbance), and side effects via ecological momentary assessment through the Pain Monitor app during the first 3 months. Costs and quality-adjusted life years will be also calculated. Half of the participants in each arm will be scanned with MRI at T0 and T1 for changes in brain metabolites related to neuroinflammation and central sensitisation. Inflammatory biomarkers in serum will also be measured. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study has been approved by the Ethics Committee of the Fundació Sant Joan de Déu. The results will be actively disseminated through peer-reviewed journals, conference presentations, social media and community engagement activities. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT04739995.

Duloxetina para o tratamento da dor neuropática e da fibromialgia / Duloxetine for the treatment of neuropathic pain and of fibromyalgia

INTRODUÇÃO: A dor neuropática é causada por lesões ou doenças que afetam o sistema somatossensorial, caracterizada por dor espontânea ou anormal evocada por estímulo. Por outro lado, a fibromialgia é uma condição crônica caracterizada por dor musculoesquelética generalizada, fadiga, distúrbios do sono, comprometimento cognitivo e ansiedade, sem uma etiologia conhecida. No Brasil, no âmbito do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS), o tratamento da dor crônica é direcionado, atualmente, pelo Protocolo Clínico e Diretrizes Terapêuticas da Dor Crônica. Dada a complexidade do tratamento da dor crônica neuropática e a ausência de tratamento medicamentoso para tratar a fibromialgia, o presente relatório foi elaborado com o objetivo de compreender a viabilidade do uso de duloxetina no manejo dessas condições clínicas, visando sua possível incorporação no SUS. TECNOLOGIA: Duloxetina (ABRETIA®, CYMBALTA®, CYMBI®, DEPRASIL®, DUAL®, DUATLO®, DULORGRAN®, MYDULO®, NEULOX®, VELIJA®). PERGUNTA: O uso de duloxetina é mais eficaz, seguro e custo-efetivo que os antidepressivos já incorporados ao SUS (amitriptilina, nortriptilina, fluoxetina e clomipramina) para o tratamento de pacientes com dor neuropática e fibromialgia? EVIDÊNCIAS CIENTÍFICAS: A busca pelas evidências retornou um total de 2.279 referências, das quais 19 foram incluídos, sendo 17 revisões sistemáticas e dois ensaios clínicos randomizados (ECR

Pregabalina para o tratamento de dor neuropática e fibromialgia / Pregabalin for pain management neuropathic and fibromyalgia

INTRODUÇÃO: A dor neuropática é causada por lesões ou doenças que afetam o sistema somatossensorial, caracterizada por dor espontânea ou anormal evocada por estímulo. Por outro lado, a fibromialgia é uma condição crônica caracterizada por dor musculoesquelética generalizada, fadiga, distúrbios do sono, comprometimento cognitivo e ansiedade, sem uma etiologia conhecida. No Brasil, no âmbito do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS), o tratamento da dor crônica é direcionado, atualmente, pelo Protocolo Clínico e Diretrizes Terapêuticas da Dor Crônica. Dada a complexidade do tratamento da dor crônica neuropática e a ausência de tratamento medicamentoso para tratar a fibromialgia, o presente relatório foi elaborado com o objetivo de compreender a viabilidade do uso de pregabalina no manejo dessas condições clínicas, visando sua possível incorporação no SUS. TECNOLOGIA: Pregabalina (ALOND®, ÁPICE®, DORENE®, DORENE TABS®, GABALGIN®, GLYA®, INSIT®, KONDUZ®, LIMIAR®, LYRICA®, LYSUGI®, MOBALE®, NEUGABA®, PREBICTAL®, PREFISS®, PREGALPHA®, PRENEURIN®, PROLEPTO®, VOLVER®). PERGUNTA: Pregabalina é eficaz, segura e custo-efetiva para o tratamento de pacientes adultos com dor neuropática e fibromialgia, co

Pregabalina para o tratamento de dor neuropática e fibromialgia / Pregabalin for Pain Treatment neuropathic and fibromyalgia

INTRODUÇÃO: A dor neuropática é causada por lesões ou doenças que afetam o sistema somatossensorial, caracterizada por dor espontânea ou anormal evocada por estímulo. Por outro lado, a fibromialgia é uma condição crônica caracterizada por dor musculoesquelética generalizada, fadiga, distúrbios do sono, comprometimento cognitivo e ansiedade, sem uma etiologia conhecida. No Brasil, no âmbito do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS), o tratamento da dor crônica é direcionado, atualmente, pelo Protocolo Clínico e Diretrizes Terapêuticas da Dor Crônica. Dada a complexidade do tratamento da dor crônica neuropática e a ausência de tratamento medicamentoso para tratar a fibromialgia, o presente relatório foi elaborado com o objetivo de compreender a viabilidade do uso de pregabalina no manejo dessas condições clínicas, visando sua possível incorporação no SUS. TECNOLOGIA: Pregabalina (ALOND®, ÁPICE®, DORENE®, DORENE TABS®, GABALGIN®, GLYA®, INSIT®, KONDUZ®, LIMIAR®, LYRICA®, LYSUGI®, MOBALE®, NEUGABA®, PREBICTAL®, PREFISS®, PREGALPHA®, PRENEURIN®, PROLEPTO®, VOLVER®). PERGUNTA: Pregabalina é eficaz, segura e custo-efetiva para o tratamento de pacientes adultos com dor neuropática e fibromialgia, comparada a gabapenti

III. Detecting Treatment Effects in Clinical Trials With Different Indices of Pain Intensity Derived From Ecological Momentary Assessment.

Pain intensity represents the primary outcome in most pain clinical trials. Identifying methods to measure aspects of pain that are most sensitive to treatment may facilitate discovery of effective interventions. In this third of 3 articles examining alternative indices of pain intensity derived from ecological momentary assessments (EMA), we compare treatment effects based on Average Pain, Maximum Pain, Minimum Pain, Pain Variability, Time in High Pain, Time in Low Pain, and Pain After Wake-Up. We also examine which indices contribute to Patient Global Impressions of Change (PGIC). Data came from 2 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials examining the efficacy of milnacipran for fibromyalgia treatment; 2,084 patients provided >1 million EMA pain intensity ratings over 24 (Study 1) or 26 (Study 2) treatment weeks. Pain Variability and Time in High Pain produced significantly smaller treatment effects than Average Pain; other pain indices showed effects that were numerically smaller, but not significantly different from Average Pain. Changes in all pain indices were significantly associated with PGIC, with improvements in Maximum Pain and in Pain Variability offering small incremental contributions to understanding PGIC over Average Pain. Results suggest that different pain indices could be used to detect treatment effects in pain clinical trials. PERSPECTIVE: Alternative summary measures of pain intensity derived from EMA may broaden the scope of outcomes useful in pain clinical trials. In this analysis of a pharmacological treatment for fibromyalgia, most pain summary measures indicated similar effects; improvements in Maximum Pain and Pain Variability contributed to understanding PGIC over Average Pain.

Efficacy of pregabalin as a monotherapy versus combined pregabalin and milnacipran in the management of fibromyalgia.

AIM: To compare the efficacy and tolerability of combined pregabalin (PGB) and milnacipran (MLN) in female patients with fibromyalgia (FM) versus PGB as a monotherapy. METHODS: The present randomized open study included 58 female patients diagnosed with FM (registered on 4/2/19: NCT03905486). Patients were randomly divided into 2 groups (2:2); group 1 included 29 patients who received PGB monotherapy (150 mg twice daily) and group 2 included 29 patients who received combined PGB (150 mg twice daily) and MLN (50 mg twice daily) for 3 months. At the initial visit, patients were subjected to demographic data collection and assessed by the visual analog scale (VAS) for pain and the FM impact questionnaire (FIQ). Outcome measures after 3 months: FIQ, VAS and Leeds Sleep Evaluation Questionnaire. RESULTS: The median disease duration was 2 years in group 1 (6 months to 5 years) and 2 years in group 2 (6 months to 12 years). The dropout rate was 20.7% in group 1 (n = 6) and 10.3% in group 2 (n = 3). At the follow-up evaluation, a statistically significant improvement was observed in VAS and FIQ scores in both groups (P < 0.001). Although the percentage of patients demonstrating significant improvement in pain, disease impact and sleep pattern were higher in group 2, this did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSION: Although PGB as a monotherapy and in combination with MLN have both shown adequate efficacy in the treatment of patients with FM, the combined therapy did not demonstrate superiority over the monotherapy.

Duloxetina para el tratamiento de dolor en personas que padecen de fibromialgia / Duloxetine for treating pain in people with fibromyalgia

INTRODUCCIÓN: Este documento técnico se realiza a solicitud del Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Neurológicas; la cual motivó la realización de la pregunta PICO por parte de médicos y especialistas de la siguiente manera, P: pacientes adultos con fibromialgia; I: duloxetina 60 mg; C: pregabalina 150 o 300 mg; O: reducción del dolor, discontinuación por falta de eficacia y eventos adversos. A. Cuadro clínico: La fibromialgia es un síndrome de dolor crónico caracterizado por dolor generalizado, y a menudo asociado con falta de sueño, fatiga, depresión y disfunción cognitiva. La prevalencia a nivel mundial en la población general se estima en un 1,78%, y en la región de las Américas se estima en 2,41%. En Perú, no existen datos estadísticos a nivel nacional. El manejo de la fibromialgia incluye aspectos de educación al paciente, práctica de estilos de vida saludable (incluyendo ejercicios aeróbicos y de fortalecimiento), terapia cognitivo conductual en personas con trastorno del estado de ánimo o estrategias de afrontamiento inadecuadas, y terapias farmacológicas para personas con dolor intenso o trastornos del sueño. Los medicamentos aprobados por la Food and Drug Administration (FDA) para el tratamiento de la fibromialgia son pregabalina, duloxetina y milnacipran. B. Tecnología sanitária: Duloxetina es un inhibidor de la recaptación de serotonina y noradrenalina (IRSN), cuya acción inhibitoria sobre el dolor se produciría por la potenciación de los tractos descendentes inhibitorios del dolor en el sistema nervioso central. La dosis recomendada para fibromialgia consiste en una dosis inicial de 30 mg una vez al día durante una semana, seguida de 60 mg una vez al día. Los eventos adversos más comunes son dolor de cabeza, somnolencia y fatiga. Algunos eventos adversos graves incluyen suicidio, síndrome serotoninérgico, hepatoxicidad, manía, síncope, síndrome de secreción inadecuada de la hormona antidiurética e hiponatremia. Duloxetina cuenta con aprobación de la FDA para el tratamiento de la fibromialgia desde el año 2008. En Perú, cuenta con diecinueve registros sanitarios vigentes y cuatro registros sanitarios con vigencia prorrogada provisional. OBJETIVO: Describir la evidencia científica disponible sobre la eficacia y seguridad de duloxetina para el tratamiento del dolor en personas que padecen de fibromialgia. METODOLOGÍA: Se realizó una búsqueda sistemática en Medline (Pubmed), The Cochrane Library y LILACS utilizando la estrategia de búsqueda descrita en el Anexo 01. Ésta se complementó con la búsqueda de evidencia en páginas institucionales de agencias gubernamentales y buscadores genéricos. Se priorizó la identificación y selección de ensayos clínicos aleatorizados controlados, revisiones sistemáticas (RS) con o sin meta-análisis (MA) de ensayos clínicos aleatorizados controlados, guías de práctica clínica (GPC), evaluaciones de tecnología sanitaria (ETS) y evaluaciones económicas (EE) de América Latina. La calidad de la evidencia se valoró usando las siguientes herramientas: AMSTAR 2 para la valoración de la calidad de RS, la herramienta propuesta por la colaboración Cochrane para ensayos clínicos y AGREE II para valorar el rigor metodológico de las GPC. RESULTADOS: Se identificó dos revisiones sistemáticas (RS) y tres guías de práctica clínica (GPC) que respondieron a la pregunta PICO de interés. CONCLUSIONES: En comparación con placebo, duloxetina produjo un alivio significativo del dolor en forma global y en puntos de corte de al menos 30% y de al menos 50%, incrementó la probabilidad de mejoría clínica percibida y redujo el riesgo de discontinuación por falta de eficacia. En comparación con placebo, duloxetina incrementó el riesgo de eventos adversos, siendo los más comunes náuseas, estreñimiento, hiperhidrosis, diarrea, dolor de cabeza, xerostomía, somnolencia e insomnio. Sin embargo, no se observaron diferencias en el riesgo de eventos adversos serios o discontinuación por eventos adversos. • No se observaron diferencias significativas entre duloxetina y pregabalina en dosis de 150mg o 300 mg sobre la reducción del dolor en al menos 30% o la discontinuación por eventos adversos. Las GPC de EULAR y de Canadá recomiendan duloxetina o pregabalina como opciones de tratamiento para fibromialgia, mientras que CENETEC no recomienda el uso de inhibidores de recaptura de serotonina y noradrenalina. Las revisiones sistemáticas fueron consideradas como nivel de confianza bajo. La calidad de la evidencia fue moderada para las comparaciones entre duloxetina y placebo, y baja para las comparaciones entre duloxetina y pregabalina. Las GPC incluidas obtuvieron un puntaje superior al 80% en la valoración global de calidad.

Some t-tests for N-of-1 trials with serial correlation.

N-of-1 trials allow inference between two treatments given to a single individual. Most often, clinical investigators analyze an individual's N-of-1 trial data with usual t-tests or simple nonparametric methods. These simple methods do not account for serial correlation in repeated observations coming from the individual. Existing methods accounting for serial correlation require simulation, multiple N-of-1 trials, or both. Here, we develop t-tests that account for serial correlation in a single individual. The development includes effect size and precision calculations, both of which are useful for study planning. We then use Monte Carlo simulation to evaluate statistical properties of these serial t-tests, namely, Type I and II errors, and confidence interval widths, and compare these statistical properties to those of analogous usual t-test. The serial t-tests clearly outperform the usual t-tests commonly used in reporting N-of-1 results. Examples from N-of-1 clinical trials in fibromyalgia patients and from a behavioral health setting exhibit how accounting for serial correlation can change inferences. These t-tests are easily implemented and more appropriate than simple methods commonly used; however, caution is needed when analyzing only a few observations.

Ultrasound Assessment of Disease Activity Prevents Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drug (DMARD) Escalation and May Reduce DMARD-Related Direct Costs in Rheumatoid Arthritis With Fibromyalgia: An Exploratory Study.

OBJECTIVES: as an objective measure, ultrasound (US) could prevent rheumatoid arthritis (RA) overtreatment induced by concomitant fibromyalgia (FM). Our goal was to study how patients with RA and FM who underwent a US examination differed from those without a US examination in terms of overall disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) escalation and biologic DMARD-related direct costs. METHODS: Patients with RA and FM were seen between 2011 and 2017. In cases of 28-joint Disease Activity Score (DAS28) overestimation, patients were referred to undergo a US examination. The US group underwent a US examination to confirm disease activity, and the DAS28 group had disease activity assessment based solely on the DAS28. RESULTS: Of 230 patients with RA, 22 women with RA and FM (DAS28 group, n = 9; and US group, n = 13) were seen in 316 visits (115.68 patient-years). The DMARD treatment was escalated in 27.1% of visits in the DAS28 group versus 17.3% in the US group (P = .046). The relative risk of DMARD escalation in the DAS28 group compared to the US group was 1.57 (95% confidence interval, 1.01-2.43). In sum total, US$240,784.52 were spent on biologics throughout the entire study period. Basing biologic DMARD prescriptions on US results could save an average of US$405.66 per patient-year. CONCLUSIONS: In this real-life study of patients with RA and FM, a US examination was associated with less DMARD escalation and could reduce biologic DMARD direct costs. Specifically, synovitis as scored by power Doppler US could be useful as a treatment target for RA in patients with DAS28 overestimation due to FM, but further studies are necessary.

Risk for Medication Nonadherence Among Medicaid Enrollees With Fibromyalgia: Development of a Validated Risk Prediction Tool.

OBJECTIVE: To develop and validate a risk assessment tool called the Prescription Medication Non-Adherence Prediction Tool (Rx-NAPT) to predict medication nonadherence in patients with fibromyalgia. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study using claims data from South Carolina Medicaid. Patients with fibromyalgia who were ≥18 years old and who had filled at least 1 prescription medication for pregabalin, duloxetine, or milnacipran from January 1, 2005, through June 30, 2011 were included. Medication possession ratios (MPRs) were calculated to classify patients as adherent (MPR ≥ 80%) or nonadherent (MPR < 80%). Multivariable logistic models using 100 bootstrap replications (with replacement) were used to identify factors associated with medication nonadherence, including age, gender, race, days' supply, medication type, and fibromyalgia-related comorbidity score. Weighted ß coefficients of the predictors were used to create the Rx-NAPT. Youden's J statistic was used to classify nonadherent patients into different levels of risk. RESULTS: The study sample comprised 6,626 patients with fibromyalgia, where 4,804 (72.50%) were non-adherent and 1,822 (27.50%) were adherent to their prescribed medication(s). Logistic regression models showed that 7 predictors (gender, age, race, fibromyalgia-related comorbidity score, medication type, health maintenance organization coverage, emergency room visit) were statistically significant in ≥50% of the bootstrapped samples. The final model demonstrated reasonable discrimination (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.6224) and calibration (Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit; P > 0.05) statistics and was validated internally (AUC = 0.6372). CONCLUSION: Poor adherence with medication remains an important barrier to providing optimal care. Our risk prediction model provides an easy tool to help clinicians better identify patients with fibromyalgia who may not take their medications as prescribed.

Healthcare Costs and Medication Adherence Among Patients with Fibromyalgia: Combination Medication vs. Duloxetine, Milnacipran, Venlafaxine, and Pregabalin Initiators.

OBJECTIVE: To examine medication adherence and healthcare costs for combination prescription initiators (duloxetine/milnacipran/venlafaxine with pregabalin) vs. monotherapy initiators (duloxetine, milnacipran, venlafaxine, and pregabalin) among patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). METHODS: Our retrospective cohort study used claims data for the South Carolina Blue Cross Blue Shield State Health Plan (SHP). Patients with FMS ≥ 18 years of age, with prescription initiation from July 1, 2007, through June 30, 2010, and SHP enrollment for 12 months pre- and post-index periods were included (combination: n = 100; pregabalin: n = 665; duloxetine: n = 713; milnacipran: n = 131; venlafaxine: n = 272). Medication adherence measures included high adherence (medication possession ratio ≥ 80%) and total supply days. Healthcare costs comprised direct medical expenditures. Propensity score methods of inverse probability of treatment weights were used to control for selection bias due to differing pre-index characteristics. RESULTS: Odds ratios for high adherence were significantly increased (P < 0.05) among the combination cohort vs. the venlafaxine (2.15), duloxetine (1.39), and pregabalin (2.20) cohorts. Rate ratios for total supply days were significantly higher (P < 0.05) for combination vs. venlafaxine (1.23), duloxetine (1.08), and pregabalin (1.32) cohorts. Expenditures for total health care were significantly higher (P < 0.05) for combination vs. duloxetine ($26,291 vs. $17,190), milnacipran ($33,638 vs. $22,886), and venlafaxine ($26,586 vs. $16,857) cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: Medication adherence was considerably better for combination prescription initiators; however, expenditures for total health care were higher. Still, our findings suggest important clinical benefits with the use of combination prescription therapy, and prospective studies of medication adherence are warranted to examine causal relationships with outcomes not captured by healthcare claims databases.

An update on emerging drugs for fibromyalgia treatment.

INTRODUCTION: Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic disorder whose symptoms of pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances and depression have a devastating effect on patients' lives as it limits their ability to engage in everyday working and social activities, and make it difficult to maintain normal relationships with family, friends and employers. None of the currently available drugs are fully effective against the whole spectrum of symptoms. The aim of this narrative review is to summarise the data relating to the new therapeutic options that have become available over the last few years. Areas covered: Increasing efforts by the pharmaceutical industry have led to the introduction of new investigational drugs and new formulations of older drugs, and studies have been carried out in order to investigate the possibility of using drugs that are currently used for other diseases. Expert opinion: Slight improvements in the health of FM patients treated with drugs targeting a range of molecular mechanisms have been observed, but there is still no single drug that is capable of offering substantial efficacy against all of the characteristic symptoms of FM. The identification of new and improved therapies for FM requires consideration of the heterogeneity of the condition, which suggests the existence of different patient subgroups, a relationship between central and peripheral aspects of the pathophysiology, and the need for combined treatment with drugs targeting multiple molecular mechanisms.

Adherence and Persistence with Drug Therapy among Fibromyalgia Patients: Data from a Large Health Maintenance Organization.

OBJECTIVE: To assess 1-year persistence and adherence rates with drug therapy among patients with fibromyalgia (FM) and to identify factors associated with therapy discontinuation. METHODS: This retrospective, cohort study included members ≥ 21 years old from the Maccabi Healthcare Services, a large health maintenance organization in Israel, who were diagnosed with FM from 2008 through 2011. Medications of interest included the anticonvulsant pregabalin, antidepressants [selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI)], and tricyclic antidepressants (TCA). Time to treatment discontinuation and proportion of days covered (PDC) with FM-specific therapies during the year from first dispensed were analyzed. PDC < 20% was considered low adherence and PDC ≥ 80% was considered high adherence. Logistic regression models were constructed for multivariable analyses. RESULTS: Overall, 3932 patients with FM were included; 88.7% were female. Pre-diagnosis use of medication of interest was documented in 41% of the study population. Of the remaining 2312 patients, 56.1% were issued a prescription, 45.0% were dispensed at least 1 medication in the year following diagnosis, and only 28.8% had prescriptions filled twice within the first year from diagnosis. Among newly prescribed patients, 1-year discontinuation was highest for TCA (91.0%) and lowest for SSRI/SNRI antidepressants (73.7%). Over half of the patients (60.5%) had fewer than 20% of the days covered by any medication during the year and only 9.3% were very adherent (PDC ≥ 80%). CONCLUSION: This study clearly shows that in an Israeli "real-life" population of patients with FM, persistence and adherence with FM therapy in the year following diagnosis is remarkably low.

Cost-Utility of Group Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Fibromyalgia Versus Recommended Drugs: An Economic Analysis Alongside a 6-Month Randomized Controlled Trial Conducted in Spain (EFFIGACT Study).

The aim of this study was to analyze the cost utility of a group-based form of acceptance and commitment therapy (GACT) in patients with fibromyalgia (FM) compared with patients receiving recommended pharmacological treatment (RPT) or on a waiting list (WL). The data were derived from a previously published study, a randomized controlled trial that focused on clinical outcomes. Health economic outcomes included health-related quality of life and health care use at baseline and at 6-month follow-up using the EuroQoL and the Client Service Receipt Inventory, respectively. Analyses included quality-adjusted life years, direct and indirect cost differences, and incremental cost effectiveness ratios. A total of 156 FM patients were randomized (51 GACT, 52 RPT, 53 WL). GACT was related to significantly less direct costs over the 6-month study period compared with both control arms (GACT €824.2 ± 1,062.7 vs RPT €1,730.7 ± 1,656.8 vs WL €2,462.7 ± 2,822.0). Lower direct costs for GACT compared with RPT were due to lower costs from primary care visits and FM-related medications. The incremental cost effectiveness ratios were dominant in the completers' analysis and remained robust in the sensitivity analyses. In conclusion, acceptance and commitment therapy appears to be a cost-effective treatment compared with RPT in patients with FM. PERSPECTIVE: Decision-makers have to prioritize their budget on the treatment option that is the most cost effective for the management of a specific patient group. From government as well as health care perspectives, this study shows that a GACT is more cost effective than pharmacological treatment in management of FM.

Treatment Patterns Associated with ACR-Recommended Medications in the Management of Fibromyalgia in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Fibromyalgia (FM) affects up to 6% of U.S. adults, resulting in a significant burden on the health care system and poor quality of life for patients. Duloxetine, pregabalin, and milnacipran are approved for management of FM; however, consensus is lacking regarding optimal therapy. Patients with FM taking approved medications often do not experience meaningful symptom relief, and many experience intolerable adverse events. OBJECTIVE: To assess treatment patterns associated with available and commonly used medications for the management of FM using U.S. health insurance claims. METHODS: This retrospective analysis used the MarketScan claims database to identify adults with a first diagnosis of FM (ICD-9-CM code 729.1) between 2009 and 2011 with continuous health plan enrollment for 12 months pre- and post-index. Medications of interest were pregabalin, gabapentin, duloxetine, milnacipran, cyclobenzaprine, and tramadol. These are 6 of the 8 medications recommended by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) for treating FM; the other 2 (amitriptyline and venlafaxine) were only included in some initial assessments. The Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) was used to assess overall comorbidity burden. Endpoints included proportion of patients treated within 1 year after first diagnosis; initial treatment pattern; adherence over the first-year follow-up period for the medications of interest; and discontinuation, switching, and combination therapy patterns among pain medications of interest at different time points. Proportion of days covered (PDC; defined as number of days in the period when the patient had drug supply divided by the number of days in the period) was used to define adherence, which was categorized as low (PDC < 50%), medium (PDC 50% to < 80%), or high (PDC ≥ 80%). The time to discontinuation (defined as the first drug supply gap ≥ 90 days) was estimated using Kaplan-Meier analysis. RESULTS: Overall, 240,144 patients met the inclusion criteria. Patients were predominantly women (68%), had preferred provider organization insurance coverage (68%), and had a CCI score < 1 at baseline (69%). Only 31% (n = 74,738) initiated a treatment with a prescription medication listed in the ACR guidelines, and many patients received less than the recommended dose. Most (n = 70,919) patients initially received monotherapy with one of the 8 prescription medications. Of those who started with ≥ 2 medications (n = 3,819), cyclobenzaprine plus tramadol was the most frequent combination. Adherence was suboptimal for all 6 medications of interest. Duloxetine had the highest mean PDC (59%); for all other agents, mean PDC was < 50%. With the exception of duloxetine, discontinuation rates at 6 months were > 50% for all agents. Alterations in therapy were common. Among patients who discontinued their initial treatment of duloxetine, pregabalin, or milnacipran, approximately one-third had switched treatments within 90 days after their first prescription. For those who maintained their initial treatment agent, approximately 50% of patients added a second pain medication within 1 year of treatment initiation. CONCLUSIONS: The evidence suggests that patients with FM often do not receive 1 of the prescription medications recommended by ACR guidelines, and those who do are commonly prescribed lower-than-recommended doses, potentially resulting in poor effectiveness and tolerability. Discontinuation, switching, and addition of new pain medications are common, which may indicate low levels of satisfaction with initial treatment. New therapies with improved effectiveness and better tolerability are urgently needed for patients with FM.