Table 38Fibromyalgia: physical modalities

Author, Year, Followup, Pain Duration, Study QualityInterventionPopulationFunction and Pain OutcomesOther Outcomes

Alfano, 2001

6 months

Duration of pain: >3 months (mean )

Fair

A. Magnetic mattress pad designed to expose body to a uniform magnetic field of negative polarity (n=37)

B. Magnetic mattress pad exposing body to magnetic field that varied spatially and in polarity (n=33)

C. Sham magnetic field (n=32): combined group of 2 sham magnetic mattress pads; identical in appearance to real magnetic pads but contained demagnetized magnets.

D. Usual care (n=17): maintain current treatment under PCP, refrain from new treatments

Treatment period was 6 months for all groups.

A vs. B vs. C vs. D

Age: 44 vs. 47 vs. 46 vs. 45 years

Female: 92% vs. 87% vs. 96% vs. 100%

Baseline (0-80): 51.6 vs. 55.5 vs. 51.5 vs. 53.9

Baseline pain intensity (0-10): 7.1 vs. 7.0 vs. 6.7 vs. 7.0

A + B vs. C

Post 6-month intervention

: 42.9 vs. 47.9, difference −5.0 (95% −14.1 to 4.1)

Pain intensity : 5.6 vs. 6.2, difference −0.6 (95% −1.9 to 0.7)

A + B vs. D

Post 6-month intervention

: 42.9 vs. 48.4, difference −5.5 (95% −14.4 to 3.4)

Pain intensity : 5.6 vs. 6.6, difference −1.0 (95% −2.2 to 0.2)

A vs. C

Post 6-month intervention

: 38.3 vs. 47.9, difference −9.6 (95% −20.0 to 0.8)

Pain intensity : 4.8 vs. 6.2, difference −1.4 (95% −2.8 to 0.05)

B vs. C

Post 6-month intervention

: 47.4 vs. 47.9, difference −0.5 (95% −11.2 to 10.2)

Pain intensity : 6.3 vs. 6.2, difference 0.1 (95% −1.4 to 1.6)

A vs. D

Post 6-month intervention

: 38.3 vs. 48.4, difference −10.1 (95% −21.9 to 1.7)

Pain intensity : 4.8 vs. 6.6, difference −1.8 (95% −3.4 to −0.2)

B vs. D

Post 6-month intervention

: 47.4 vs. 48.4, difference −1.0 (95% −13.0 to 11.0),

Pain intensity : 6.3 vs. 6.6, difference −0.3 (95% −2.0 to 1.4)

Paolucci, 2016

1 month

Duration of pain:

Poor

A. Extremely low-frequency magnetic field first (n=16): three 30-minute sessions per week for 4 weeks (12 sessions total). Patients laid on a bed with multi-low-frequency mattress that delivered a magnetic field at an intensity of 100 uT and a multifrequency of 1 to 80 .

B. Sham extremely low-frequency magnetic field first (n=17): three 30-minute sessions per week for 4 weeks (12 sessions total). Patients laid on a bed with multi-low-frequency mattress but no magnetic field was delivered.

Washout period: 1 month

A vs. B

Age, years: 50 vs. 51

Female: 100% vs. 100%

Fibromyalgia duration, years: 7 vs. 5

Baseline : 58.7 (11.3) vs. 57.2 (12.3)

Baseline pain:

Baseline pain : 4.9 (1.4) vs. 4.8 (1.2)

Baseline FAS (0−10): 6.1 (1.7) vs. 6.4 (1.4)

A vs. B, mean

1 month

: 19.2 vs. 57.9, p<0.001

Percent change from baseline in : −67.3% vs. 2.9%, p<0.001

pain: values , p<0.001

Pain : 2.2 vs. 5.3, p<0.001

Percent change from baseline in pain

: −54.1% vs. 6.3%, p<0.001

FAS: 3.2 vs. 6.1, p<0.001

Percent change from baseline in FAS: −46.5% vs. −4.5% p<0.001

B vs. A (after cross-over)

1 month

: 25.1 vs. 53.9, p<0.001

Percent change from baseline in : −56.0% vs. −8.1%, p<0.001

Pain : 3.1 vs. 4.6, p=0.02

Percent change from baseline in pain

: −39.7% vs. −9.1%, p=0.006

FAS: 3.5 vs. 6.2, p=0.002

Percent change from baseline in FAS: −46.9% vs. −1.2%, p<0.001

A vs. B

1 month

(0-3): 0.3 vs. 1.1, p=0.03

Percent change from baseline in :

B vs. A (after cross-over)

1 month

: 0.7 vs. 0.8, p=0.41

Percent change from baseline in :

= confidence interval; FAS = Fibromyalgia Assessment Status; = Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire; = Health Assessment Questionnaire; = Hertz; = not reported; = numeric rating scale; PCP = primary care physician; uT = microtesla; = Visual Analog Scale

a

Unless otherwise noted, followup time is calculated from the end of the treatment period

From: Results

Cover of Noninvasive Nonpharmacological Treatment for Chronic Pain: A Systematic Review Update
Noninvasive Nonpharmacological Treatment for Chronic Pain: A Systematic Review Update [Internet].
Comparative Effectiveness Review, No. 227.
Skelly AC, Chou R, Dettori JR, et al.

NCBI Bookshelf. A service of the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.

External link. Please review our privacy policy.