Efficacy of electrophysical agents in fibromyalgia: A systematic review and network meta-analysis

Abstract

Objective To examine the effectiveness of electrophysical agents in fibromyalgia. Data sources CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Embase, Medline, PEDro, and Web of Science were searched from their inceptions to March 27, 2023. Methods This study was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42022354326). Methodological quality of included trials was assessed using PEDro scale, and the quality of evidence was determined according to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation system. The primary outcomes were pain, functional status, and mood. Results Fifty-four studies involving 3045 patients with fibromyalgia were eligible for qualitative synthesis and 47 (pain), 31 (functional status), and 26 (mood) for network meta-analysis. The network consistency model revealed that, when compared with true control, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and microcurrent improved pain symptoms ( P = 0.006 and P = 0.037, respectively); repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation improved patient functional status ( P = 0.018); and microcurrent ( P = 0.001), repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation ( P = 0.022), and no treatment ( P = 0.038) significantly improved mood after intervention. Surface under the cumulative ranking indicated that microcurrent was most likely to be the best for managing pain and mood (surface under the cumulative ranking: 70% and 100%, respectively); low-level laser therapy for pain and mood (80% and 70%, respectively); and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for improving functional status and mood (80% and 70%, respectively). Conclusion This review found low to moderate quality evidence that microcurrent, laser therapy, and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation are the most effective electrophysical agents for improving at least one outcome in fibromyalgia.

Anatomo-physiological basis and applied techniques of electrical neuromodulation in chronic pain

“…TENS has also been tested in 43 patients with fibromyalgia, demonstrating that one 30-min application improved the pain perception during movement, but not at rest [ 219 ]. Then, several studies have been conducted so far in patients with fibromyalgia; the most recent pooled data analysis suggests that TENS improves pain symptoms in this population of patients [ 220 ]. A modified system for TENS specifically developed to stimulate the terminal supraorbital branch of the trigeminal nerve has been also demonstrated to prevent [ 221 ] or to treat attacks of episodic migraine [ 222 ].…”