Transcranial direct current stimulation combined with peripheral stimulation in chronic pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: The combination of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) with peripheral stimulation may optimize their effects and bring positive results in treatment of people with chronic pain. AREAS COVERED: A systematic review with meta-analysis of randomized and non-randomized trials was performed to investigate the combination of tDCS with peripheral stimulation in adults with chronic pain. The primary outcome was pain intensity. Six studies were included in this review (sample of 228 participants), which investigated the combination of tDCS and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, peripheral electrical stimulation, breathing-controlled electrical stimulation and intramuscular electrical stimulation. The conditions studied were knee osteoarthritis, spinal cord injury, chronic low back pain, and neurogenic pain of the arms. Pain intensity, measured by visual analog scale or numerical rating scale, was reduced in all included studies when at least one of the interventions was active, regardless they were combined or alone, with or without tDCS. However, meta-analysis showed superiority of tDCS used in combination with peripheral stimulation. EXPERT OPINION: This systematic review and meta-analysis suggests positive effects of tDCS combined with peripheral stimulation in chronic pain conditions. However, the evidence of the primary outcome was classified as low quality due to the limited number of studies.

Mat Pilates is as effective as aquatic aerobic exercise in treating women with fibromyalgia: a clinical, randomized and blind trial

Abstract Background: The mat Pilates method is the therapeutic modalities which can be used in fibromyalgia treatment. Although there are no well-designed studies that prove the effectiveness of the mat Pilates method in this population. The objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of the mat Pilates method for improving symptoms in women with fibromyalgia. Methods: A single blind randomized controlled trial in which 42 women with fibromyalgia were randomized into two groups: mat Pilates and aquatic aerobic exercise. The exercises were performed twice a week for 12 weeks. Two evaluations were performed: one at baseline (T0), and another at 12 weeks after randomization (T12). The primary outcome was pain measured by the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Secondary outcomes were function (Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire), sleep (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index [PSQI]), quality of life (Short Form 36 [SF-36]), fear avoidance (Fear Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire [FABQ-BR]) and pain catastrophizing (Pain-Related Catastrophizing Thoughts Scale [PRCTS]). Results: There was improvement in both groups in relation to pain and function (p < 0.05). The aspects related to quality of life and the FABQ questionnaire only showed improvement in the mat Pilates group (p < 0.05). There was improvement in the PSQI and PRCTS variables only in the aquatic aerobic exercise group (p < 0.05), but no differences were observed between the groups for any of the evaluated variables. Conclusion: Significant improvements were observed in the two groups in relation to the disease symptoms, and no differences were observed between mat Pilates and aquatic aerobic exercise in any of the measured variables. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier (NCT03149198), May 11, 2017. Approved by the Ethics Committee of FACISA/UFRN (Number: 2.116.314).(AU)