In 2012, the study conducted by Martín, et. al., aimed to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of a 6-week interdisciplinary treatment program for fibromyalgia (FM) called PSYMEPHY, which integrates psychological, medical, educational, and physiotherapeutic components. The research compared this comprehensive approach to standard pharmacologic care. The trial included 153 outpatients with FM from a hospital pain management unit, who were randomly assigned to either the experimental group (EG), receiving PSYMEPHY, or the control group (CG), receiving standard pharmacologic therapy.

Participants in the EG underwent 12 sessions of interdisciplinary treatment, while those in the CG continued with their usual medication-based treatment. The primary measure of success was the change in quality of life, with secondary measures including pain levels, physical function, anxiety, depression, coping strategies, and overall satisfaction with treatment. These outcomes were assessed using several standardized tools, such as the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the Coping with Chronic Pain Questionnaire.

At the six-month follow-up, the PSYMEPHY group showed significant improvements in quality of life (p=0.04), physical function (p=0.01), and pain levels (p=0.03) compared to the control group. Additionally, patients in the interdisciplinary program reported higher satisfaction with their treatment. These results highlighted the short-term benefits of the interdisciplinary approach over standard pharmacologic care.

The benefits of the PSYMEPHY program were sustained at the 12-month follow-up. Patients in the EG maintained significant improvements in quality of life, physical functioning, pain, and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Moreover, they were less likely to engage in maladaptive passive coping strategies compared to their baseline measurements. This sustained improvement suggests the long-term efficacy of the interdisciplinary treatment for FM.

In conclusion, the interdisciplinary PSYMEPHY treatment for fibromyalgia demonstrated significant and lasting benefits over standard pharmacologic care. The study found that this comprehensive approach not only improved quality of life, pain, and physical function but also alleviated symptoms of anxiety and depression. Furthermore, patients learned more effective pain coping strategies and expressed higher satisfaction with their treatment. These findings support the implementation of interdisciplinary treatment programs for managing fibromyalgia effectively over the long term.

Reference: Martín, J., Torre, F., Padierna, A., Aguirre, U., González, N., García, S., & Quintana, J. M. (2012). Six-and 12-month follow-up of an interdisciplinary fibromyalgia treatment programme: results of a randomised trial. Clin Exp Rheumatol, 30(6 Suppl 74), 103-111.