• Lucie Brosseau, George A Wells, Peter Tugwell, Mary Egan, Keith G Wilson, Claire-Jehanne Dubouloz, Lynn Casimiro, Vivian A Robinson, Jessie McGowan, Angela Busch, Stéphane Poitras, Harvey Moldofsky, Manfred Harth, Hillel M Finestone, Warren Nielson, Angela Haines-Wangda, Marion Russell-Doreleyers, Kim Lambert, Alison D Marshall, Line Veilleux, and Ottawa Panel Members.
• Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa Hospital, Civic Campus, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Lucie.Brosseau@uottawa.ca
• Phys Ther. 2008 Jul 1;88(7):857-71.

Background And PurposeThe objective of this study was to create guidelines for the use of aerobic fitness exercises in the management of adult patients (>18 years of age) with fibromyalgia, as defined by the 1990 American College of Rheumatology criteria.MethodsFollowing Cochrane Collaboration methods, the Ottawa Methods Group found and synthesized evidence from comparative controlled trials and formed the Ottawa Panel, with nominated experts from key stakeholder organizations. The Ottawa Panel then developed criteria for grading the recommendations based on experimental design (I for randomized controlled trials, II for nonrandomized studies) and strength of evidence (A, B, C+, C, D+, D, or D-). From the rigorous literature search, 13 randomized control trials and 3 controlled clinical trials were selected. Statistical analysis was based on Cochrane Collaboration methods. Continuous data were calculated with weighted mean differences between the intervention and control groups, and dichotomous data were analyzed with relative risks. Clinical improvement was calculated using absolute benefit and relative difference in change from baseline. Clinical significance was attained when an improvement of 15% relative to a control was found.ResultsThere were 24 positive recommendations: 10 grade A, 1 grade B, and 13 grade C+. Of these 24 positive recommendations, only 5 were of clinical benefit.Discussion And ConclusionThe Ottawa Panel recommends aerobic fitness exercises for the management of fibromyalgia as a result of the emerging evidence (grades A, B, and C+, although most trials were rated low quality) shown in the literature.

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