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Fibromyalgia care guidelines stress nonpharmacologic intervention
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SAN DIEGO — Guidelines from three countries for the diagnosis, classification and clinical care regarding fibromyalgia focused on patient self-management of the condition, according to research presented at the American College of Rheumatology annual meeting.
Mary-Ann Fitzcharles, MB, ChB, MD, clinical rheumatologist, McGill University, Montreal, presented results from a combination of independently developed guidelines for fibromyalgia established in Canada, Germany and Israel.
She highlighted three aspects of the guidelines:
- Fibromyalgia is now fully recognized as a valid condition.
- The condition should be diagnosed after a full clinical examination and patient history with minimal laboratory testing.
- The ideal care is “patient-tailored treatment,” with all three guidelines emphasizing nonpharmacologic intervention.
“The major focus should be on self-management techniques,” Fitzcharles told Healio.com.
Disclosure: See the abstract for a full list of relevant financial disclosures.
For more information:
Fitzcharles MA. #838: Recommendations for the Classification and Diagnosis of Fibromyalgia Syndrome Provided by Independently Developed Evidence-Based Interdisciplinary Guidelines Spanning Three Continents. Presented at: the 2013 American College of Rheumatology Annual Meeting; Oct. 26-30, San Diego.