The FibroQualLife study currently on-going in Strasbourg monitors the quality of life change of fibromyalgia subjects after a program of physical activity sessions. A first part of our study consisted in monitoring adherence to sessions and recording subjects feeling throughout the program. The program was carried out in two different care setting.

Single-center, comparative, parallel group study. Physical activity program taking place either in a hospital setting or in a sports association, twice a week (1 hour-aerobic exercise, 1 hour-muscle strengthening), for 16 weeks. Outcome measures: Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), Quality of Life Questionnaire (SF 36), Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ), Beck Depression Inventory, Patients’ Global Impression of Change (PGIC Scale), Stress Test, 2minutes walking test, blood analysis (oxidative stress). Adherence and feeling monitoring: weekly telephone call.

Twenty-three subjects (87% female) were followed from November 17, 2015 to September 22, 2016. Three subjects discontinued study participation after the first week and were not included in the analysis. Overall adherence in both groups was 67.8%. Absences to the sessions were due to medical reasons (52.0%), private reasons (27.8%), professional reasons (14.2%) and planning reasons (5.9%). Adherence in the “hospital” arm was 62.2%. Reasons for missing sessions are medical ones (74.1%), private ones (9.4%), professional ones (8.2%) and planning ones (8.2%). Adherence in the “associative” arm is 70.9%. Reasons for missing sessions are medical ones (29.7%), private ones (45.3%), professional ones in (20.2%) and planning ones (4.7%). Absences on total enrolment increased monthly (M1: 20 absences, M2: 37, M3: 51, M4: 61). Identified factors limiting adherence were: pain and sleep disorders, initial physical activity program considered too intensive, pathology related fears and beliefs. Subjects’ feeling parameters: increased pain at the beginning of the program but positive effect during the study perceived as “well-being”.

Despite an initial increase in pain, overall adherence is good regardless of the caring setting. It is necessary, by continuing this study, to specify the clinical and biological factors involved in these patients’ quality of life improvement.