A new study has found that a powerful sleeping pill may reduce the pain from fibromyalgia. The drug, Xyrem, also helped reduce stiffness, fatigue and other symptoms.
Xyrem has been approved by the FDA for treatment of narcolepsy, a neurological disorder which results in excessive daytime sleepiness and intermittent, uncontrollable episodes of falling asleep. These same sleep patterns have been found in fibromyalgia patients.
This study involved 334 fibromyalgia patients who were given one of two doses of Xyrem, or a placebo at bedtime for 14 weeks.
The participants were asked to score their pain on a scale of 0 to 100. The average score before the study was 72. At the end of 14 weeks 54% of the patients taking the lower dose and 56% taking the higher dose reported a 30% or greater reduction in their pain. This is compared to 35% of the placebo group which reported 30% or more reduction in pain.
Furthermore, nearly 44% of both Xyrem groups reported a 50% or greater reduction in pain compared to 23% of those in the placebo group.
According to Kim Dupree Jones, PhD, of Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, “The 30% level represents moderate improvement in pain that is relevant to the patient, and the 50% level represents substantial improvement.”
The study also measured fatigue improvements with use of Xyrem. On a 100 point scale, patients taking the higher dose reported a 30 point drop and those in the low dose group reported a 28 point drop in fatigue scores. Those in the placebo group only reported an 18 point drop.
In addition, nearly 50% of the people in both Xyrem groups reported that they felt “much better” or “very much better” after the 14 week treatment compared to just over 25% of the placebo group.
The most common side effects experienced by the participants taken Xyrem were headache, nausea and dizziness.
The results of the study were presented at the annual meeting of the American Pain Society.
loading...
Ther are currently no related posts.
