DOUBLE-BLIND, PLACEBO-CONTROLLED CROSS-OVER STUDY OF INTRAVENOUS S-ADENOSYL-L-METHIONINE IN PATIENTS WITH FIBROMYALGIA

The objective of this study was to test the efficacy of intravenously administered S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAMe) in patients with fibromyal gia (FM). Thirty-four out-patients with fibromyalgia symptoms received SAMe 600 mg i.v. or placebo daily for 10 days in a cross-over trial. There was no significant difference in improvement in the primary outc ome: tender point change between the two treatment groups. There was a tendency towards statistical significance in favour of SAMe on subjec tive perception of pain at rest (p=0.08), pain on movement (p=0.11), a nd overall well-being (p=0.17) and slight improvement only on fatigue, quality of sleep, morning stiffness, and on the Fibromyalgia Impact Q uestionnaire for pain. No effect could be observed on isokinetic muscl e strength, Zerrsen self-assessment questionnaire. and the face scale. No effect of SAMe in patients with FM was found in this short term st udy.