A mind-body technique for symptoms related to fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue. Effect of tai chi versus aerobic exercise for fibromyalgia: comparative effectiveness randomized controlled trial The efficacy of mindfulness meditation plus Qigong movement therapy in the treatment of fibromyalgia: a randomized controlled trial. Does the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire measure what we think it does? Construct validity evidence from an active controlled randomized clinical trial. The effect of dietary glutamate on fibromyalgia and irritable bowel symptoms. Effects of T’ai Chi Exercise on Fibromyalgia Symptoms and Health-Related Quality of Life Reliability and Construct Validity of the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Instruments in Women with Fibromyalgia Self-report Mindfulness as a Mediator of Psychological Well-being in a Stress Reduction Intervention for Cancer Patients—A Randomized Study In-Patient Treatment of Fibromyalgia: A Controlled Nonrandomized Comparison of Conventional Medicine versus Integrative Medicine including Fasting Therapy Follow-up of Yoga of Awareness for Fibromyalgia: Results at 3 Months and Replication in the Wait-list Group Efficacy and feasibility of a combination of body awareness therapy and qigong in patients with fibromyalgia: a pilot study. Mindfulness Is Positively Related to Socioeconomic Job Status and Income and Independently Predicts Mental Distress in a Long-Term Perspective: Danish Validation Studies of the Five-Factor Mindfulness Questionnaire A new nonpharmacological method in fibromyalgia: the use of wool. Treating fibromyalgia with mindfulness-based stress reduction: Results from a 3-armed randomized controlled trial Mindfulness Meditation Alleviates Fibromyalgia Symptoms in Women: Results of a Randomized Clinical Trial Mindfulness Training as an Intervention for Fibromyalgia: Evidence of Postintervention and 3-Year Follow-Up Benefits in Well-Being Mindfulness in informal caregivers of palliative patients. Impact of a mindfulness stress management program on stress, anxiety, depression and quality of life in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a randomized controlled trial A Blinded, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study to Investigate the Efficacy and Safety of Ferric Carboxymaltose in Iron-Deficient Patients with Fibromyalgia Web-Based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Depressive Symptoms With Minimal Support Spa treatment for primary fibromyalgia syndrome: a combination of thalassotherapy, exercise and patient education improves symptoms and quality of life. Mindfulness Training among Individuals with Parkinson's Disease: Neurobehavioral Effects Mindfulness-Based Cancer Recovery (MBCR) versus Supportive Expressive Group Therapy (SET) for distressed breast cancer survivors: evaluating mindfulness and social support as mediators
CONTEXT A novel mind-body approach ( amygdala retraining ) is hypothesized to improve symptoms related to  fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue .  OBJECTIVE To examine the use of a mind-body approach for improving symptoms related to  fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue .  DESIGN This was a single-blind , r and omized controlled trial . SETTING The study was conducted in a tertiary-care fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue clinic . PATIENTS Patients with fibromyalgia , chronic fatigue , or both were included . INTERVENTIONS Patients were r and omly assigned to receive amygdala retraining along with st and ard care or st and ard care alone . St and ard care involved attending a 1.5-day multidisciplinary program . The amygdala retraining group received an additional 2.5-hour training course in which the key tools and techniques adapted from an existing program were taught to the patient . A home- study video course and associated text were provided to supplement the on-site program . Both groups received telephone calls twice a month to answer questions related to technique and to provide support . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Vali date d self-report question naires related to general health , well-being , and symptoms , including Short Form-36 , Measure Yourself Medical Outcome Profile , Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory , Epworth Sleepiness Scale , and Fibromyalgia Impact Question naire . RESULTS Of the 44 patients r and omly assigned who completed baseline assessment s , 21 patients completed the study ( 14 in the st and ard care group and 7 in the study group ) . Median age was 48 years ( range , 27 - 56 years ) , and female subjects comprised 91 % of the group . Analyses demonstrated statistically significant improvements in scores for physical health , energy , pain , symptom distress , and fatigue in patients who received the amygdala retraining compared with st and ard care Abstract Objectives To determine the effectiveness of tai chi interventions compared with aerobic exercise , a current core st and ard treatment in patients with fibromyalgia , and to test whether the effectiveness of tai chi depends on its dosage or duration . Design Prospect i ve , r and omized , 52 week , single blind comparative effectiveness trial . Setting Urban tertiary care academic hospital in the United States between March 2012 and September 2016 . Participants 226 adults with fibromyalgia ( as defined by the American College of Rheumatology 1990 and 2010 criteria ) were included in the intention to treat analyses : 151 were assigned to one of four tai chi groups and 75 to an aerobic exercise group . Interventions Participants were r and omly assigned to either supervised aerobic exercise ( 24 weeks , twice weekly ) or one of four classic Yang style supervised tai chi interventions ( 12 or 24 weeks , once or twice weekly ) . Participants were followed for 52 weeks . Adherence was rigorously encouraged in person and by telephone . Main outcome measures The primary outcome was change in the revised fibromyalgia impact question naire ( FIQR ) scores at 24 weeks compared with baseline . Secondary outcomes included changes of scores in patient ’s global assessment , anxiety , depression , self efficacy , coping strategies , physical functional performance , functional limitation , sleep , and health related quality of life . Results FIQR scores improved in all five treatment groups , but the combined tai chi groups improved statistically significantly more than the aerobic exercise group in FIQR scores at 24 weeks ( difference between groups=5.5 points , 95 % confidence interval 0.6 to 10.4 , P=0.03 ) and several secondary outcomes ( patient ’s global assessment = 0.9 points , 0.3 to 1.4 , P=0.005 ; anxiety=1.2 points , 0.3 to 2.1 , P=0.006 ; self efficacy=1.0 points , 0.5 to 1.6 , P=0.0004 ; and coping strategies , 2.6 points , 0.8 to 4.3 , P=0.005 ) . Tai chi treatment compared with aerobic exercise administered with the same intensity and duration ( 24 weeks , twice weekly ) had greater benefit ( between group difference in FIQR scores=16.2 points , 8.7 to 23.6 , P<0.001 ) . The groups who received tai chi for 24 weeks showed greater improvements than those who received it for 12 weeks ( difference in FIQR scores=9.6 points , 2.6 to 16.6 , P=0.007 ) . There was no significant increase in benefit for groups who received tai chi twice weekly compared with once weekly . Participants attended the tai chi training sessions more often than participants attended aerobic exercise . The effects of tai chi were consistent across all instructors . No serious adverse events related to the interventions were reported . Conclusion Tai chi mind-body treatment results in similar or greater improvement in symptoms than aerobic exercise , the current most commonly prescribed non-drug treatment , for a variety of outcomes for patients with fibromyalgia . Longer duration of tai chi showed greater improvement . This mind-body approach may be considered a therapeutic option in the multidisciplinary management of fibromyalgia . Trial registration Clinical Trials.gov NCT01420640 OBJECTIVE To test the short and longterm benefits of an 8 week mind-body intervention that combined training in mindfulness meditation with Qigong movement therapy for individuals with fibromyalgia syndrome ( FM ) . METHODS A total of 128 individuals with FM were r and omly assigned to the mind-body training program or an education support group that served as the control . Outcome measures were pain , disability ( Fibromyalgia Impact Question naire ) , depression , myalgic score ( number and severity of tender points ) , 6 minute walk time , and coping strategies , which were assessed at baseline and at 8 , 16 , and 24 weeks . RESULTS Both groups registered statistically significant improvements across time for the Fibromyalgia Impact Question naire , Total Myalgic Score , Pain , and Depression , and no improvement in the number of feet traversed in the 6 minute walk . However , there was no difference in either the rate or magnitude of these changes between the mind-body training group and the education control group . Salutary changes occurring by the eighth week ( which corresponded to the end of the mind-body and education control group sessions ) were largely maintained by both groups throughout the 6 month followup period . CONCLUSION While both groups showed improvement on a number of outcome variables , there was no evidence that the multimodal mind-body intervention for FM was superior to education and support as a treatment option . Additional r and omized controlled trials are needed before interventions of this kind can be recommended for treatment of FM The current study attempted a rigorous test of the construct validity of a widely used self-report measure of dispositional mindfulness , the Five Facet Mindfulness Question naire ( FFMQ ) , within the context of an active controlled r and omized trial ( n = 130 ) . The trial included three arms : mindfulness-based stress reduction ( MBSR ) , an active control condition that did not include instruction in mindfulness meditation ( Health Enhancement Program [ HEP ] ) , and a waitlist control condition . Partial evidence for the convergent validity of the FFMQ was shown in correlations at baseline between FFMQ facets and measures of psychological symptoms and psychological well-being . In addition , facets of the FFMQ were shown to increase over the course of an MBSR intervention relative to a waitlist control condition . However , the FFMQ failed to show discriminant validity . Specifically , facets of the FFMQ were shown to increase over the course of the HEP intervention relative to the waitlist control condition . MBSR and HEP , in contrast , did not differ in changes in FFMQ score over time . Implication s of these findings for the measurement and theory of mindfulness and MBSR are discussed . ( PsycINFO Data base OBJECTIVES To examine the effects of a challenge with monosodium glutamate ( MSG ) as compared to placebo on the symptoms of fibromyalgia ( FM ) , in participants who initially experienced > 30 % remission of symptoms on an excitotoxin elimination diet . METHODS Fifty-seven FM patients who also had irritable bowel syndrome ( IBS ) were placed on a 4-week diet that excluded dietary additive excitotoxins including MSG and aspartame .  Thirty-seven people completed the diet and 84 % of those reported that > 30 % of their symptoms resolved , thus making them eligible to proceed to challenges . Subjects who improved on the diet were then r and omised to a 2-week double-blind placebo-controlled crossover challenge with MSG or placebo for 3 consecutive days each week . The primary outcome measure was total symptom score . Secondary outcome measures included visual analogue pain scales ( VAS for FM and IBS ) , an IBS Quality of Life Question naire ( IBS QOL ) and the Fibromyalgia Impact Question naire-Revised ( FIQR ) . Repeated measures ANOVA was used to analyse crossover challenge results . RESULTS The MSG challenge , as compared to placebo , result ed in a significant return of symptoms ( total symptom score , p<0.02 ) ; a worsening of fibromyalgia severity as determined by the FIQR ( p<0.03 ) ; decreased quality of life in regards to IBS symptoms ( IBS QOL , p<0.05 ) ; and a non-significant trend toward worsening FM pain based on visual analogue scale ( VAS , p<0.07 ) . CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that dietary glutamate may be contributing to FM symptoms in some patients . Future research on the role of dietary excitotoxins in FM is warranted Background Fibromyalgia ( FM ) , one of the most common musculoskeletal disorders , is associated with high levels of impaired health and inadequate or limited symptom relief . The cause of this complex syndrome is unknown , and there is no known cure . Numerous research results indicate that a combination of physical exercise and mind-body therapy is effective in symptom management .  T’ai Chi , an ancient Chinese exercise , combines physical exercise with mind-body therapy . Purpose To investigate the effects of T’ai Chi exercise on FM symptoms and health-related quality of life . Design Pilot study , one group pre-to-post posttest design . Methods Participants with FM ( n = 39 ) formed a single group for 6 weeks of 1-hour , twice weekly T’ai Chi exercise classes .  FM symptoms and health-related quality of life were measured before and after exercise . Findings Twenty-one participants completed at least 10 of the 12 exercise sessions . Although the dropout rate was higher than expected , measurements on both the Fibromyalgia Impact Question naire ( FIQ ) ( Buckhardt , Clark , & Bennett , 1991 ) and the Short Form-36 ( SF-36 ) ( Ware & Sherbourne , 1992 ) revealed statistically significant improvement in symptom management and health-related quality of life . Implication s for Nursing Research Knowledge of interventions to enhance health for the patient with musculoskeletal problems is a National Association of Orthopaedic Nurses priority . T’ai Chi is potentially beneficial to patients with FM . Further research is needed to support evidence -based practice Objective The Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System ( PROMIS ) was developed to st and ardize measurement of clinical ly relevant patient-reported outcomes . This study evaluated the reliability and construct validity of select PROMIS static short-form ( SF ) instruments in women with fibromyalgia . Design Analysis of baseline data from the Fibromyalgia Activity Study with TENS ( FAST ) , a r and omized controlled trial of the efficacy of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation . Setting Dual site , university-based outpatient clinics . Subjects Women aged 20 to 67 years diagnosed with fibromyalgia . Methods Participants completed the Revised Fibromyalgia Impact Question naire ( FIQR ) and 10 PROMIS static SF instruments . Internal consistency was calculated using Cronbach alpha . Convergent validity was examined against the FIQR using Pearson correlation and multiple regression analysis . Results PROMIS static SF instruments had fair to high internal consistency ( Cronbach α = 0.58 to 0.94 , P < 0.05 ) . PROMIS ' physical function ' domain score was highly correlated with FIQR ' function ' score ( r = -0.73 ) . The PROMIS ' total ' score was highly correlated with the FIQR total score ( r = -0.72 ) . Correlations with FIQR total score of each of the three PROMIS domain scores were r = -0.65 for ' physical function , ' r = -0.63 for ' global , ' and r = -0.57 for ' symptom ' domain . PROMIS ' physical function , ' ' global , ' and ' symptom ' scores explained 58 % of the FIQR total score variance . Conclusions Select PROMIS static SF instruments demonstrate convergent validity with the FIQR , a legacy measure of fibromyalgia disease severity . These results highlight the potential utility of select PROMIS static SFs for assessment and tracking of patient-reported outcomes in fibromyalgia Background There is increasing recognition of mindfulness and mindfulness training as a way to decrease stress and increase psychological functioning . Purpose The aims of this study were to examine the effects of mindfulness stress reduction training on perceived stress and psychological well-being and to examine if changes in mindfulness mediate intervention effects on these outcomes . Methods Seventy women and one man with a previous cancer diagnosis ( mean age 51.8 years , st and ard deviation = 9.86 ) were r and omized into an intervention group or a wait-list control group . The intervention consisted of an 8-week mindfulness training course . Results Compared to participants in the control group , participants in the mindfulness training group had significantly decreased perceived stress and posttraumatic avoidance symptoms and increased positive states of mind . Those who participated in the intervention reported a significant increase in scores on the five-facet mindfulness question naire ( FFMQ ) when compared to controls . The increase in FFMQ score mediated the effects of the intervention on perceived stress , posttraumatic avoidance symptoms , and positive states of mind . Conclusions This study indicates that the improvements in psychological well-being result ing from mindfulness stress reduction training can potentially be explained by increased levels of mindfulness as measured with the FFMQ . The importance of these findings for future research in the field of mindfulness is discussed Fibromyalgia poses a challenge for therapy . Recent guidelines suggest that fibromyalgia should be treated within a multidisciplinary therapy approach . No data are available that evaluated multimodal treatment strategies of Integrative Medicine ( IM ) . We conducted a controlled , nonr and omized pilot study that compared two inpatient treatment strategies , an IM approach that included fasting therapy and a conventional rheumatology ( CM ) approach . IM used fasting cure and Mind-Body-Medicine as specific methods . Of 48 included consecutive patients , 28 were treated with IM , 20 with CM . Primary outcome was change in the Fibromyalgia Impact Question naire ( FIQ ) score after the 2-week hospital stay . Secondary outcomes included scores of pain , depression , anxiety , and well being . Assessment s were repeated after 12 weeks . At 2 weeks , there were significant improvements in the FIQ ( P < 0.014 ) and for most of secondary outcomes for the IM group compared to the CM group . The beneficial effects for the IM approach were reduced after 12 weeks and no longer statistically significant with the exception of anxiety . Findings indicate that a multimodal IM treatment with fasting therapy might be superior to CM in the short term and not inferior in the mid term . Longer-term studies are warranted to assess the clinical impact of integrative multimodal treatment in fibromyalgia Objectives : Published preliminary findings from a r and omized-controlled trial suggest that an 8-week Yoga of Awareness intervention may be effective for improving symptoms , functional deficits , and coping abilities in fibromyalgia . The primary aims of this study were to evaluate the same intervention ’s posttreatment effects in a wait-list group and to test the intervention ’s effects at 3-month follow-up in the immediate treatment group . Methods : Unpaired t tests were used to compare data from a per protocol sample of 21 women in the immediate treatment group who had completed treatment and 18 women in the wait-list group who had completed treatment . Within-group paired t tests were performed to compare posttreatment data with 3-month follow-up data in the immediate treatment group . The primary outcome measure was the Fibromyalgia Impact Question naire Revised ( FIQR ) . Multilevel r and om-effects models were also used to examine associations between yoga practice rates and outcomes . Results : Posttreatment results in the wait-list group largely mirrored results seen at posttreatment in the immediate treatment group , with the FIQR Total Score improving by 31.9 % across the 2 groups . Follow-up results showed that patients sustained most of their posttreatment gains , with the FIQR Total Score remaining 21.9 % improved at 3 months . Yoga practice rates were good , and more practice was associated with more benefit for a variety of outcomes . Discussion : These findings indicate that the benefits of Yoga of Awareness in fibromyalgia are replicable and can be maintained OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of body awareness therapy combined with qigong for patients with fibromyalgia . DESIGN A controlled r and omized pilot study . SUBJECTS Thirty-six female patients with fibromyalgia were r and omized to either qigong plus body awareness therapy ( n = 19 ) or a control group ( n = 17 ) . METHODS The programme was conducted once a week over a period of 3 months . The outcome measures were an observational method called the Body Awareness Rating Scale , the Fibromyalgia Impact Question naire and 2 tests of physical function . An interview was conducted with the patients in the treatment group . RESULTS Seven patients in each group ( 39 % ) were lost to the post-test examination . The inter-group analysis revealed a significant improvement in movement harmony for the treatment group ( p = 0.03 ) , while no differences were found in the Fibromyalgia Impact Question naire or the functional tests . The intra-group analysis revealed an improvement in movement harmony for the treatment group ( p = 0.01 ) , while the total score of the Fibromyalgia Impact Question naire deteriorated ( p = 0.04 ) in the control group . The interviews indicated that several patients had experienced exacerbation of symptoms while st and ing still , and /or difficulty in concentrating on the movements . CONCLUSIONS Although improvement in movement harmony occurred in the patients completing the treatment programme , no improvement was found for fibromyalgia symptoms or physical function The Five Factor Mindfulness Question naire ( FFMQ ) measures 5 factor-analytically derived mindfulness aspects ( Observe , Describe , Non-Judgment , Non-Reactivity , and Acting with Awareness ) and is commonly used as an indicator of mindfulness in population surveys and studies of mindfulness-based interventions ( MBI ) . Outside MBI , FFMQ scores are hypothesized to reflect relatively stable human dispositions of importance to psychological health . However , the long-term test – retest reliability of FFMQ scores is virtually untested and it remains unknown whether FFMQ scores predict psychological health after controlling for st and ardized socioeconomic status classifications . First , we focused on psychometric validation of the FFMQ translated to Danish in a r and omly invited healthy and nonmeditating adult community sample ( N = 490 ) . Confirmatory factor analyses primarily supported a four-factor construct excluding the Observe facet . The four-factor model showed adequate composite reliability , convergent validity and satisfactory-excellent internal consistency , Cronbach & agr;s = .72–.91 . Structural equation modeling revealed that FFMQ Total scores were positively related to income and socioeconomic status but independently predicted psychological distress and mental health scores , respectively , after controlling for age , gender , body mass index , socioeconomic job classification , stressful life events , and social desirability , & bgr ; = −.24–.29 , ps < .001 . Second , FFMQ scores showed adequate short-term ( two weeks ) test – retest reliability among 99 healthy university students , Spearman ’s & rgr;s ≥ .82 . Finally , all FFMQ mean scores showed satisfactory test – retest reliability across a long-term ( six months ) interval ( N = 407 ) , intraclass correlation coefficients ≥.74 . We recommend the Danish FFMQ for further use . The Observe facet should be interpreted with caution . Remaining FFMQ facet scores comprise an internally consistent four-dimensional construct reflecting long-term-reliable human dispositions of independent significance for predicting mental health OBJECTIVES The aim was to assess the effect of wool use in patients with fibromyalgia . BACKGROUND Various studies concerning the treatment of patients with fibromyalgia using nonpharmacological methods have been carried out . There are , however , no reports on the use of wool clothing and bedding in treating these patients . DESIGN AND METHODS The study employed two-group , experimental design . A total of 50 patients with fibromyalgia , based on the criteria of the American College of Rheumatology , were selected for the study . They were distributed equally into two groups : a control group and a treatment group . The 25 patients in each group were r and omly selected and the compositions of the two groups were statistically identical . The patients in the treatment group wore woolen underwear ( which covered the body from the shoulders to the thighs ) and used woolen bedding such as woolen bed liner , woolen quilt and pillow during the experimental period of 6 weeks . All patients were assessed at the beginning the trial ( pre-test ) and the end of 6th ( post-test ) week . Data were collected using the visual analogue scale ( 0 - 10 ) , tender points count , and Fibromyalgia Impact Question naire . RESULTS Patients in the treatment group reported significant improvements in their conditions including a reduction in pain levels , tender point counts , and all scores of the Fibromyalgia Impact Question naire ( p < or= 0.001 ) . CONCLUSIONS The use of woolen underwear and woolen bedding were effective in reducing the symptoms of patients suffering from fibromyalgia . The use of wool is recommended as a means of treatment for alleviating the pain of fibromyalgia . RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE Nurses provide professional support to patients with fibromyalgia . They select suitable clothes and sleeping material s for their patients with this object in mind : to keep their patients warm and to protect them from the cold & NA ; Mindfulness‐based stress reduction ( MBSR ) is a structured 8‐week group program teaching mindfulness meditation and mindful yoga exercises . MBSR aims to help participants develop nonjudgmental awareness of moment‐to‐moment experience . Fibromyalgia is a clinical syndrome with chronic pain , fatigue , and insomnia as major symptoms . Efficacy of MBSR for enhanced well‐being of fibromyalgia patients was investigated in a 3‐armed trial , which was a follow‐up to an earlier quasi‐r and omized investigation . A total of 177 female patients were r and omized to one of the following : ( 1 ) MBSR , ( 2 ) an active control procedure controlling for nonspecific effects of MBSR , or ( 3 ) a  wait list  . The major outcome was health‐related quality of life ( HRQoL ) 2 months post‐treatment . Secondary outcomes were disorder‐specific quality of life , depression , pain , anxiety , somatic complaints , and a proposed index of mindfulness . Of the patients , 82 % completed the study . There were no significant differences between groups on primary outcome , but patients overall improved in HRQoL at short‐term follow‐up ( P = 0.004 ) . Post hoc analyses showed that only MBSR manifested a significant pre‐to‐post‐intervention improvement in HRQoL ( P = 0.02 ) . Furthermore , multivariate analysis of secondary measures indicated modest benefits for MBSR patients . MBSR yielded significant pre‐to‐post‐intervention improvements in 6 of 8 secondary outcome variables , the active control in 3 , and the wait list in 2 . In conclusion , primary outcome analyses did not support the efficacy of MBSR  in fibromyalgia , although patients in the MBSR arm appeared to benefit most . Effect sizes were small compared to the earlier , quasi‐r and omized investigation . Several method ological aspects are discussed , e.g. , patient burden , treatment preference and motivation , that may provide explanations for differences . In a 3‐armed r and omized controlled trial in female patients suffering from fibromyalgia , patients benefited modestly from a mindfulness‐based stress reduction intervention Background Several recent review s 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 . Purpose We conducted a r and omized prospect i ve 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 . Conclusion 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 ( IS RCT N : 34628811 ) Background : Mindfulness-based stress reduction ( MBSR ) proposes a systematic program for reduction of suffering associated with a wide range of medical conditions . Studies suggest improvements in general aspects of well-being , including quality of life ( QoL ) , coping and positive affect , as well as decreased anxiety and depression . Methods : A quasi-experimental study examined effects of an 8-week MBSR intervention among 58 female patients with fibromyalgia ( mean , 52 ± 8 years ) who underwent MBSR or an active social support procedure .  Participants were assigned to groups by date of entry , and 6 subjects dropped out during the study . Self-report measures were vali date d German inventories and included the following scales : visual analog pain , pain perception , coping with pain , a symptom checklist and QoL. Pre- and postintervention measurements were made . Additionally , a 3-year follow-up was carried out on a subgroup of 26 participants . Results : Pre- to postintervention analyses indicated MBSR to provide significantly greater benefits than the control intervention on most dimensions , including visual analog pain , QoL subscales , coping with pain , anxiety , depression and somatic complaints ( Cohen d effect size , 0.40–1.10 ) . Three-year follow-up analyses of MBSR participants indicated sustained benefits for these same measures ( effect size , 0.50–0.65 ) . Conclusions : Based upon a quasi-r and omized trial and long-term observational follow-up , results indicate mindfulness intervention to be of potential long-term benefit for female fibromyalgia patients OBJECTIVES Mindfulness is a concept of growing impact on psychotherapy and has been shown to be effective for stress reduction and to improve psychological well-being .  Existential Behavioural Therapy ( EBT ) was developed to support relatives of palliative care ( PC ) patients to cope with their situation during caregiving and bereavement . Mindfulness training was a core element of the intervention . We investigated the relationship between mindfulness , mental distress , and psychological well-being  in informal caregivers , and evaluated if the effects of the intervention were mediated by mindfulness . METHODS Relatives of PC in patients took part in a r and omized-controlled EBT trial and completed the Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale-Revised , items from the Five Facets of Mindfulness as well as the Brief Symptom Inventory , the Satisfaction with Life Scale , the WHOQOL-BREF , a numerical rating scale on quality of life ( range 0 - 10 ) , and the Schedule for Meaning in Life Evaluation at pre- and post-intervention , and a 3- and 12-months follow-up . RESULTS One-hundred- and -thirty carers were included , most of them ( 71.6 % ) recently being bereaved at the beginning of the intervention . High correlations between mindfulness and mental distress ( r = -0.51 , p < 0.001 ) as well as life satisfaction ( r = 0.52 , p < 0.001 ) were found . Mindfulness was a significant predictor of improvement in psychological distress , meaning in life and quality of life three months after the intervention . The EBT effects were partly mediated by mindfulness . SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS Mindfulness seems to be a promising concept in supporting informal caregivers of PC patients . Further research is needed to identify the required format and intensity of mindfulness practice necessary for improvement Abstract Polycystic ovary syndrome ( PCOS ) is a common endocrine disorder with a significant psychological burden throughout the life course of affected women . Thus , use of mindful awareness may be beneficial as an adjunct to conventional medical management of women with PCOS . A r and omized , controlled trial was conducted at the Evgenideion Hospital of the Athens University Medical School to explore the impact of an 8-week mindfulness stress management program on measures of depression , anxiety and stress as well as on the quality of life in reproductive age women with PCOS . The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee . Twenty-three and 15 women with PCOS were r and omly allocated to the intervention or control group , respectively . All participants were administered  DASS21 , PSS-14 , PCOSQ , Daily Life  and General Life Satisfaction Question naires and provided three-timed daily sample s of salivary cortisol , before and after the intervention . Intervention group participants were provided with the  Credibility/Expectancy Question  naire at the day of enrolment , to check for possible placebo effect on the outcome . Post-intervention , between-group results revealed statistically significant reductions in stress , depressive and anxiety symptoms , as well as in salivary cortisol concentrations , along with an increase in Life Satisfaction and Quality of Life scores in the intervention group only . There was no significant  “  placebo ” effect on the outcome measures . Mindfulness techniques seem promising in ameliorating stress , anxiety , depression and the quality of life in women with PCOS and could be used as an adjunct method to the conventional management of these women Introduction This study sought to compare efficacy and safety of ferric carboxymaltose vs. placebo in iron-deficient patients with fibromyalgia . Methods This blinded , placebo-controlled , phase 2 study r and omized adults with fibromyalgia and Revised Fibromyalgia Impact Question naire ( FIQR ) scores ≥ 60 , ferritin levels < 0.05 µg/ml , and transferrin saturation < 20 % ( 1:1 ) to receive ferric carboxymaltose [ 15 mg/kg ( up to 750 mg ) ] , or placebo ( 15 cc  normal saline ) intravenously on study days 0 and 5 . Patients visited the clinic on days 14 , 28 , and 42 for efficacy and safety assessment s. The primary efficacy endpoint was proportion of patients with a ≥ 13-point improvement from baseline to day 42 in FIQR scale score . Secondary endpoints included changes from baseline in FIQR scale , Brief Pain Inventory ( BPI ) total score , Medical Outcomes Study ( MOS ) Sleep scale , Fatigue Visual Numeric Scale ( VNS ) , iron indices ( transferrin saturation and ferritin ) , and safety . Results The efficacy analysis group comprised 80 patients , and the safety analysis group comprised 81 .  More ferric carboxymaltose patients ( 77 % ) vs. placebo patients ( 67 % ) achieved the primary endpoint , but the difference was not significant . Greater improvements from baseline to day 42 were observed for ferric carboxymaltose vs. placebo in FIQR total score , BPI total score , Fatigue VNS score , and iron indices . Mean changes in MOS Sleep scale scores were similar between groups . Ferric carboxymaltose was safe and well tolerated . Conclusions Compared with placebo , ferric carboxymaltose improved measures of fibromyalgia severity and was well tolerated . The current results suggest that ferric carboxymaltose shows benefit in iron-deficient patients with concurrent fibromyalgia . Funding Luitpold Pharmaceuticals , Inc . Trial Registration Clinical Trials.gov identifier , NCT02409459 Low-intensity interventions for people suffering from depressive symptoms are highly desirable . The aim of the present study was to investigate the outcomes of a web-based acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)–based intervention without face-to-face contact for people suffering from depressive symptoms . Participants ( N = 39 ) with depressive symptoms were r and omly assigned to an Internet-delivered acceptance and commitment therapy ( iACT ) intervention or a waiting list control condition ( WLC ) . Participants were evaluated with st and ardized self-reporting measures ( Beck Depression Inventory [ BDI-II ] , Symptom Checklist–90 [ SCL-90 ] , Acceptance and Action Question naire [ AAQ-2 ] , Five Facet Mindfulness Question naire [ FFMQ ] , Automatic Thoughts Question naire [ ATQ ] , and White Bear Suppression Inventory [ WBSI ] ) at pre- and post-measurement . Long-term effects in the iACT group were examined using a 12-month follow-up . The iACT program comprised home assignments , online feedback given by master’s-level students of psychology over a 7-week intervention period , and automated email-based reminders . Significant effects were observed in favor of the iACT group on depression symptomatology ( between effect sizes [ ESs ] at post-treatment , iACT/WLC , g = .83 ) , psychological and physiological symptoms ( g = .60 ) , psychological flexibility ( g = .67 ) , mindfulness skills ( g = .53 ) , and frequency of automatic thoughts ( g = .57 ) as well as thought suppression ( g = .53 ) . The treatment effects in the iACT group were maintained over the 12-month follow-up period ( within-iACT ES : BDI-II , g = 1.33 ; SCL-90 , g = 1.04 ; ATQF/B [ Frequency/Believability ] , FFMQ , WBSI , AAQ-II , g = .74 - 1.08 ) . The iACT participants stated that they would be happy to recommend the same intervention to others with depressive symptoms . We conclude that an ACT-based guided Internet-delivered treatment with minimal contact can be effective for people with depressive symptoms OBJECTIVES To study the effect of a combination of thalassotherapy , exercise and patient education in people with fibromyalgia . METHODS Patients with fibromyalgia , selected from a rheumatology out-patient department and from members of the Dutch fibromyalgia patient association , were pre-r and omized to receive either 2(1/2 ) weeks of treatment in a Tunisian spa resort , including thalassotherapy , supervised exercise and group education ( active treatment ) or treatment as usual ( control treatment ) . Primary outcome measure was health-related quality of life , measured with the R AND -36 question naire . Secondary measures included the Fibromyalgia Impact Question naire , the McGill Pain Question naire , the Beck Depression Inventory , tender point score and a 6-min treadmill walk test . RESULTS Fifty-eight participants receiving the active treatment reported significant improvement on R AND -36 physical and mental component summary scales . For physical health , differences from the 76 controls were statistically significant after 3 months , but not after 6 and 12 months . A similar pattern of temporary improvement was seen in the self-reported secondary measures . Tender point scores and treadmill walk tests improved more after active treatment , but did not reach significant between-group differences , except for walk tests after 12 months . CONCLUSIONS A combination of thalassotherapy , exercise and patient education may temporarily improve fibromyalgia symptoms and health-related quality of life Objective . To investigate possible neurobehavioral changes secondary to a mindfulness based intervention ( MBI ) training for individuals living with Parkinson 's disease ( PD ) . Background . In the context of complementary medicine , MBIs are increasingly being used for stress reduction and in patient population s coping with chronic illness . The use of alternative and complementary medicine may be higher in patients with chronic conditions such as PD . However , behavioral effects of mindfulness training in PD have not yet been reported in the literature and this points to an unmet need and warrants further examination . Methods . A total of 27 out of 30 PD patients completed a r and omized controlled longitudinal trial .  Question naires and the UPDRS I – IV were obtained at baseline and 8-week follow-up . Results . Significant changes after the MBI were found including a 5.5 point decrease on the UPDRS motor score , an increase of 0.79 points on Parkinson 's disease question naire ( PDQ-39 ) pain item , and a 3.15 point increase in the Five Facet Mindfulness Question naire observe facet . Conclusions . To the best of our knowledge , this is the first quantitative analysis of neurobehavioral effects of MBI in PD Despite growing evidence in support of mindfulness as an underlying mechanism of mindfulness-based interventions ( MBIs ) , it has been suggested that nonspecific therapeutic factors , such as the experience of social support , may contribute to the positive effects of MBIs . In the present study , we examined whether change in mindfulness and /or social support mediated the effect of  Mindfulness-Based Cancer Recovery ( MBCR ) compared to another active intervention ( i.e. Supportive Expressive Group Therapy ( SET ) ) , on change in mood disturbance , stress symptoms and quality of life . A secondary analysis was conducted of a multi-site r and omized clinical trial investigating the impacts of MBCR and SET on distressed breast cancer survivors ( MINDSET ) . We applied the causal steps approach with bootstrapping to test mediation , using pre- and post-intervention question naire data of the participants who were r and omised to MBCR ( n = 69 ) or SET ( n = 70 ) . MBCR participants improved significantly more on mood disturbance , stress symptoms and social support , but not on quality of life or mindfulness , compared to SET participants . Increased social support partially mediated the impact of MBCR versus SET on mood disturbance and stress symptoms . Because no group differences on mindfulness and quality of life were observed , no mediation analyses were performed on these variables . Findings showed that increased social support was related to more improvement in mood and stress after MBCR compared to support groups , whereas changes in mindfulness were not . This suggests a more important role for social support in enhancing outcomes in MBCR than previously thought
No clinical or demographics explained as much variance in the FIQR total as any of the mindfulness subscales .
Fibromyalgia patients experience symptoms that may be alleviated by mindfulness interventions .
Baseline values for the observe subscale of the FFMQ were unexpectedly high .
CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE A growing body of literature suggests that mindfulness techniques may be beneficial in fibromyalgia .
A recent systematic review and meta- analysis of six trials indicated improvement in depressive symptoms and quality of life , calling for increased rigor and use of st and ardized measures in future trials .
The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between mindfulness [ as measured by the Five Facet Mindfulness Question naire ( FFMQ ) ] and fibromyalgia impact [ as measured by the Revised Fibromyalgia Impact Question naire ( FIQR ) ] .