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Qualitative systemic review of randomized controlled trials on complementary and alternative medicine treatments in fibromyalgia

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An Erratum to this article was published on 22 September 2009

Abstract

The objectives of the study were identification, quality evaluation and summary of RCTs on complementary and alternative medicine as defined by the National Institute of Health with the exception of dietary and nutritional supplements. A computerized search of databases from 1990 (year of publication of the ACR criteria for fibromyalgia) to July 2007 was performed. The RCTs were assessed by a methodological quality score. A total of 23 RCTs issued from 1992 to 2007 on acupuncture, balneotherapy, thermotherapy, magnetic therapy, homeopathy, manual manipulation, mind–body medicine, diet therapy and music therapy were identified. The RCTs had an average group size of 25 with the number of groups ranging from two to four. The quality score assessment of the RCTs yielded a mean score of 51 out of 100. The average methodological quality of the identified studies was fairly low. Best evidence was found for balneotherapy/hydrotherapy in multiple studies. Positive results were also noted for homeopathy and mild infrared hyperthermia in 1 RCT in each field. Mindfulness meditation showed mostly positive results in two trials and acupuncture mixed results in multiple trials with a tendency toward positive results. Tendencies for improvement were furthermore noted in single trials of the Mesendieck system, connective tissue massage and to some degree for osteopathy and magnet therapy. No positive evidence could be identified for Qi Gong, biofeedback, and body awareness therapy.

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Abbreviations

FMS:

Fibromyalgia syndrome

RCT:

Randomized controlled trial

CAM:

Complementary and alternative medicine

FIQ:

Fibromyalgia impact questionnaire

TP:

Tender point

TPC:

Tender point count

VAS:

Visual analog scale

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine, Complementary and Integrative Medicine, Kliniken Essen-Mitte, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany

    Julia Baranowsky, Petra Klose, Frauke Musial, Gustav Dobos & Jost Langhorst

  2. Department of Internal Medicine I, Klinikun Saarbrücken, Saarbrücken, Germany

    Winfried Haeuser

  3. Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany

    Winfried Haeuser

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  1. Julia Baranowsky
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  2. Petra Klose
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Correspondence to Jost Langhorst.

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An erratum to this article is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00296-009-1120-3.

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Baranowsky, J., Klose, P., Musial, F. et al. Qualitative systemic review of randomized controlled trials on complementary and alternative medicine treatments in fibromyalgia. Rheumatol Int 30, 1–21 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-009-0977-5

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