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Randomized, blinded, controlled trial on effectiveness of photobiomodulation therapy and exercise training in the fibromyalgia treatment

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Abstract

This study evaluated the role of the phototherapy and exercise training (EXT) as well as the combined treatment in general symptoms, pain, and quality of life in women suffering from fibromyalgia (FM). A total of 160 women were enrolled and measures were carried out in two sets: it was sought to identify the acute effect for a single phototherapy and EXT session (Set 1); long-term effect (10 weeks) of the interventions (Set 2). Phototherapy irradiation was performed at 11 locations in their bodies, employing a cluster with nine diodes (one super-pulsed infrared 905 nm, four light-emitting diodes [LEDs] of 640 nm, and four LEDs of 875 nm, 39.3 J per location). Algometry and VAS instrument were applied to evaluate pain. The FM symptoms were evaluated with Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) and Research Diagnostic Criteria (RDC) instruments. Quality of life was assessed through SF-36 survey. Set 1: pain threshold was improved with the phototherapy, and EXT improved the pain threshold for temporomandibular joint (right and left body side) and occipital site (right body side). Set 2: there was improved pain threshold in several tender points with the phototherapy and EXT. There was an overlap of therapies to reduce the tender point numbers, anxiety, depression, fatigue, sleep, and difficulty sleeping on FIQ/RDC scores. Moreover, quality of life was improved with both therapies. The phototherapy and EXT improved the pain threshold in FM women. A more substantial effect was noticed for the combined therapy, in which pain relief was accomplished by improving VAS and FIQ scores as well as quality of life.

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Acknowledgements

The study was funded by a grant from the FAPESP (Award Number 15/11028-9) and CNPq (305139/2013-4). The funders had no role in the study design; collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; writing the report; and the decision to submit the report for publication. We thank Pontual Translation for critical reviewing of English language.

Role of funding source

This study was supported by National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (grant number: 305139/2013-4) and São Paulo Research Foundation (grant number: 15/11028-9). The funds have no influence on data collection and analysis of results as well as structuring the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Biophotonic, Nove de Julho University, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Mariana Moreira da Silva, Paulo de Tarso Camillo de Carvalho, Ernesto Cesar Pinto Leal-Junior, Sandra Kalil Bussadori, Vanessa Grandinetti, José Antonio Silva Jr & Andrey Jorge Serra

  2. Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Regiane Albertini & Stella Sousa Vieira

  3. Translational Physiology Laboratory, São Judas Tadeu University, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Danilo Sales Bocalini

  4. Centro Universitário de Anápolis, Goiânia, GO, Brazil

    Luis Vicente Franco de Oliveira

Authors
  1. Mariana Moreira da Silva
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  2. Regiane Albertini
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  3. Paulo de Tarso Camillo de Carvalho
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  4. Ernesto Cesar Pinto Leal-Junior
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  5. Sandra Kalil Bussadori
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  6. Stella Sousa Vieira
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  7. Danilo Sales Bocalini
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  8. Luis Vicente Franco de Oliveira
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  9. Vanessa Grandinetti
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  10. José Antonio Silva Jr
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  11. Andrey Jorge Serra
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Andrey Jorge Serra.

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Conflict of interest

Ernesto Cesar Pinto Leal Junior receives research support from Multi Radiance Medical (Solon, OH, USA), a laser device manufacturer. The remaining authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Ethical approval

The ethical committee of Universidade Nove de Julho approved the study protocol (number: 419.828/2013).

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da Silva, M.M., Albertini, R., de Tarso Camillo de Carvalho, P. et al. Randomized, blinded, controlled trial on effectiveness of photobiomodulation therapy and exercise training in the fibromyalgia treatment. Lasers Med Sci 33, 343–351 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-017-2388-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-017-2388-2

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