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Effects of active/passive interventions on pain, anxiety, and quality of life in women with fibromyalgia: Randomized controlled pilot trial.

Women & health
January 1, 2017
Gamze Ekici et al. (6 authors)
Journal ArticleRandomized Controlled TrialHuman StudyClinical
Study Details

Study Goal

The researchers aimed to compare the effects of connective tissue massage (CTM) and pilates exercises on pain, anxiety, and quality of life in women with fibromyalgia.

Results Summary

CTM showed significant improvements in pain intensity, pain-pressure threshold, anxiety, and health-related quality of life, though the pilates group had greater improvements in pain-pressure threshold and anxiety reduction. Both interventions were beneficial, but exercise may offer additional advantages.

Population

Women with fibromyalgia (n=22 in CTM group, 21 in pilates group).

Effective Dosage

Three times per week for 4 weeks.

Duration

4 weeks

Interactions

None mentioned

Extracted Claims (6)
InterventionDirectionEndpointPopulationDosageImpactClaim #
pilates exercises
decrease
pain intensity; pain-pressure threshold; and tolerance, anxiety, progress, and health-related quality of life
females with fibromyalgia
-
significant improvements were found
#1
connective tissue massage (CTM)
decrease
pain intensity; pain-pressure threshold; and tolerance, anxiety, progress, and health-related quality of life
females with fibromyalgia
-
significant improvements were found
#2
pilates exercises
increase
pain-pressure threshold
females with fibromyalgia
-
scores for pain-pressure threshold were significantly elevated
#3
pilates exercises
decrease
anxiety
females with fibromyalgia
-
symptoms of anxiety were significantly diminished
#4
exercise
decrease
symptoms
women with fibromyalgia
-
might be used to provide improvements
#5
massage
decrease
symptoms
women with fibromyalgia
-
might be used to provide improvements
#6
Abstract

The authors of this study compared the effects of pilates exercises and connective tissue massage (CTM) on pain intensity; pain-pressure threshold; and tolerance, anxiety, progress, and health-related quality of life in females with fibromyalgia. It was a pilot, assessor masked, randomized controlled trial conducted between January and August of 2013. Twenty-one women with fibromyalgia were randomly assigned to the pilates exercise program (six of whom did not complete the program), and 22 were randomly assigned to CTM (one of whom did not complete this program). Each group received the assigned intervention three times per week during a 4-week period. The Visual Analogue Scale, algometry, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire, and Nottingham Health Profile were used at baseline and at the end of treatments. Significant improvements were found in both groups for all parameters. However, the scores for pain-pressure threshold were significantly elevated and the symptoms of anxiety were significantly diminished in the exercise group compared to the massage group. Thus, exercise and massage might be used to provide improvements in women with fibromyalgia. The exercise group showed more advantages than the massage group and thus might be preferred for patients with fibromyalgia. However, an adequately powered trial is required to determine this with certainty.

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
AnxietyExercise Movement TechniquesExercise TherapyFemaleFibromyalgiaHumansMassageMiddle AgedPain MeasurementPain ThresholdPilot ProjectsQuality of LifeTreatment Outcome
Study Links
Quality Scores
SafetyNot Assessed
Efficacy75/10
Quality70/10
Citation Metrics
Total Citations32
Citations/Year4.0
Relative Citation Ratio2.48
NIH Percentile80.5%
Research Impact Scores
APT Score0.75
Weight Score1.90
Normalized Score0.64
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