Lyrica reduced pain associated with fibromyalgia regardless of whether the patient had symptoms of anxiety or depression, according to study data presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology and in a press release from the drugmaker Pfizer. The data was pooled from previous clinical trials and showed researchers that the decrease in fibromyalgia pain was associated with a patient's overall sense of well-being.

The three previous trials that were analyzed involved over 2000 fibromyalgia patients. The trials were of 8, 13, and 14 weeks duration. Patients were randomly assigned 150 mg, 300 mg, 450 mg, or 600 mg of Lyrica or placebo. The patients were asked to rate their pain on a scale of 0 to 10. Patients who received 450 mg or 600 mg Lyrica had a reduced pain scale score of more than 2. However, 600 mg/day dose is not an FDA-approved dosage for fibromyalgia. Patients on lower levels of Lyrica also had reduced self-reported pain scores compared to placebo. The improvement in patients who reported feeling "much" or "very much improved" seemed more related to pain and sleep, but less related to fatigue or symptoms of anxiety or depression.

Lyrica was FDA-approved for fibromyalgia treatment in June 2007. Previous studies have shown that doses of 300 mg or 450 mg of Lyrica per day improved fibromyalgia symptoms (i.e., reduced pain and improved function) as early as the first week of treatment. Lyrica is not without side effects. Severe allergic reactions, dizziness, sleepiness, weight gain, blurry vision, dry mouth, and swelling of hands and feet have been reported.

Related Resources:

• Fibromyalgia Screening Quiz
• Test Your Knowledge: Fibromyalgia
• Lyrica: 10 Things You Should Know
• Fibromyalgia 101: Free E-Course Newsletter
• 10 Things You Should Know About Fibromyalgia

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