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Methods: This multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial randomly assigned 748 patients with FM to receive placebo or pregabalin 300, 450, or 600 mg/day (dosed twice daily) for 13 weeks. The primary outcome variable for study objective 1, symptomatic relief of pain associated with FM, was comparison of endpoint mean pain scores between each pregabalin group and placebo.

The outcome variable for study objective 2, management of FM, included endpoint mean pain scores, Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC), and Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ)-Total Score. Secondary outcomes included assessments of sleep, fatigue, and mood disturbance.

Results:

• Patients in all pregabalin groups showed statistically significant improvement in endpoint mean pain score and in PGIC response compared with placebo.
• Improvements in FIQ-Total Score for the pregabalin groups were numerically but not significantly greater than those for the placebo group.
• Compared with placebo, all pregabalin treatment groups showed statistically significant improvement in assessments of sleep and in patients' impressions of their global improvement.
• Dizziness and somnolence were the most frequently reported adverse events.

Conclusion: Pregabalin at 300, 450, and 600 mg/day was efficacious and safe for treatment of pain associated with FM. Pregabalin monotherapy provides clinically meaningful benefit to patients with FM.

Source: Journal of Rheumatology. 2008 Feb 15 [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 18278830, by Mease PJ, Russell IJ, Arnold LM, Florian H, Young JP Jr, Martin SA, Sharma U. Seattle Rheumatology Associates and Swedish Medical Center, Seattle, Washington, USA. [E-mail: pmease@nwlink.com]