Add-on treatment of quetiapine for fibromyalgia: a pilot, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled 12-week trial

Abstract

Recently, second-generation antipsychotic drugs have attracted interest in the treatment of chronic pain, including fibromyalgia (FM). Preliminary uncontrolled studies have shown that quetiapine treatment may be helpful for FM patients. In this trial, we sought to examine-for the first time-the efficacy and tolerability of quetiapine as a treatment for FM and its associated psychiatric symptoms. This was a 12-week double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of quetiapine XR as an add-on treatment for FM syndrome. Fifty-one female FM patients were randomized, and a flexible dosage of 50 to 300 mg/d was used. The primary outcome was the change from baseline to end point in the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire total score. Secondary outcomes included mood symptoms, sleep disturbances, and tender points. Using a low dose (mean = 132.2 mg) of quetiapine, we observed significant benefits of drug treatment on sleep, uncertain effects on FM and mood symptoms, but no effects on pain, in a small group of polymedicated FM patients. Quetiapine was generally well tolerated.