A double-blind placebo controlled trial of fluoxetine in fibromyalgia

Abstract

42 women were randomized to receive either placebo or fluoxetine at 20 mgs per day. Inter and intra group differences in clinical variables were evaluated after 3 and 6 weeks of treatment. Except for self rated anxiety which improved in the placebo treated group at 3 weeks, no differences between groups were noted. For those receiving fluoxetine both AIMS Anxiety (4.0 baseline vs. 3.3, p = 0.04) and Depression scores (2.6 baseline vs. 1.9, p = 0.03) improved at 3 weeks; however, improvement in the Beck Depression Scale did not reach significance (11.8 vs. 9.4, p = 0.34). At 6 weeks, both AIMS Depression (2.6 at baseline and 1.5 at 6 weeks, p = 0.03) and Beck Depression Scales (11.8 at baseline vs. 8.3 at 6 weeks, p = 0.04) showed improvement, as did sleep quality (9.6 vs. 7.6, p = 0.03). But no other variable had a significant change from baseline at either the 3 or 6 week point. Our data do not suggest that fluoxetine improves the signs and symptoms of fibromyalgia.