The effect of cryotherapy on fibromyalgia: a randomised clinical trial carried out in a cryosauna cabin
Open Access
- 1 December 2018
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in Rheumatology International
- Vol. 38 (12), 2243-2250
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-018-4176-0
Abstract
Evidence of symptomatic treatment for fibromyalgia (FM) is very low. Whole body cryotherapy (WBC) modulates different neurotransmitters, which might have a role in pain alleviation and could exert an effect on FM. Our aim was to evaluate the efficacy of WBC for the control of pain and impact of disease in FM. For this we run an open, randomized, crossover trial of Cryosense TCT (TM) cabin vs rest. Patients with FM according to ACR criteria were recruited consecutively from general practices. Trial endpoints were change (triangle) in pain after 2 and 4weeks, measured by a visual analogue scale (VAS), triangle burden of disease, evaluated by the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), and severity of FM, measured by the Combined Index of Severity of Fibromyalgia (ICAF). Within group differences, sequence and period effects were tested with Student's t or Mann-Whitney U tests. Multiple linear regression models were used to adjust effect by baseline differences between groups. Sixty patients were included in the trial. A period effect was noted, with residual effect of WBC; therefore, only results from the first sequence were analysed. triangle VAS pain, triangle FIQ and triangle ICAF scores were significantly larger in the WBC group after the first period (3.0 vs 0.3 in triangle VAS pain; 32.1 vs 0.4 in triangle FIQ; 13.7 vs 0.07 in triangle ICAF; all p < 0.001), and were confirmed after adjustment. In conclusion, WBC with a Cryosense TCT cabin may be a useful adjuvant therapy for FM; further studies on long-term effect and compared to other physical therapies are warranted.Keywords
Funding Information
- Tecnología e Innovación Médico-Estética, S.L.
This publication has 29 references indexed in Scilit:
- Effects of 15 consecutive cryotherapy sessions on the clinical output of fibromyalgic patientsClinical Rheumatology, 2013
- Fibromyalgia Syndrome: Etiology, Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, and TreatmentPain Research and Treatment, 2012
- Whole-Body Cryostimulation - Potential Beneficial Treatment for Improving Antioxidant Capacity in Healthy Men - Significance of the Number of SessionsPLOS ONE, 2012
- The Science of FibromyalgiaMayo Clinic Proceedings, 2011
- The effect of prolonged whole-body cryostimulation treatment with different amounts of sessions on chosen pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines levels in healthy menScandinavian Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation, 2011
- The American College of Rheumatology Preliminary Diagnostic Criteria for Fibromyalgia and Measurement of Symptom SeverityArthritis Care & Research, 2010
- Development of a self-reporting tool to obtain a Combined Index of Severity of Fibromyalgia (ICAF*)Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, 2010
- Momentary relationship between cortisol secretion and symptoms in patients with fibromyalgiaArthritis & Rheumatism, 2005
- The burden of musculoskeletal diseases in the general population of Spain: results from a national surveyAnnals Of The Rheumatic Diseases, 2001
- Ice freezes pain? A review of the clinical effectiveness of analgesic cold therapyJournal of Pain and Symptom Management, 1994