ReviewBrain sciences2023
Effects of Repetitive-Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) in Fibromyalgia Syndrome: An Umbrella and Mapping Review.
Review in Brain sciences, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed, 4 citations in OpenAlex.
- Controllable Pulse Parameter Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Fibromyalgia: A Randomized Control Study.Journal of pain research · 2026Article
- The Use of Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation for the Management of Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain: Fad or Future?Brain sciences · 2025Article
- Efficacy of brain stimulation therapies across psychiatric, movement, and cognitive disorders: an umbrella review synthesizing meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials.EClinicalMedicine · 2025Article
- Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Fibromyalgia: Exploring the Necessity of Neuronavigation for Targeting New Brain Regions.Journal of personalized medicine · 2024Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe main aim of this study was to assess the effects of repetitive-transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in patients with fibromyalgia (FMS).
methodsWe systematically searched PubMed, PEDro, EMBASE, and CINAHL. Methodological quality was analyzed using the AMSTAR and ROBIS scales, and the strength of evidence was established according to the guidelines advisory committee grading criteria. A total of 11 systematic reviews were included. The assessed variables were pain intensity, depressive symptoms, anxiety, and general health.
resultsRegarding pain intensity, it seems that high-frequency rTMS significantly reduces pain intensity at a 1-month follow-up when the primary motor cortex (M1) is stimulated. However, we cannot robustly conclude the same for low-frequency protocols. When we look at the combination of high and low-frequency rTMS, there seems to be a significant effect on pain intensity up to 1-week post-intervention, but after that point of follow-up, the results are controversial. Regarding depressive symptoms and anxiety, results showed that the effects of rTMS are almost non-existent. Finally, in regard to general health, results showed that rTMS caused significant post-intervention effects in a robust way. However, the results of the follow-ups are contradictory.
conclusionsThe results obtained showed that high-frequency rTMS applied on the M1 showed some effect on the variable of pain intensity with a limited quality of evidence. Overall, rTMS was shown to be effective in improving general health with moderate quality of evidence. Finally, rTMS was not shown to be effective in managing depressive symptoms and anxiety with a limited to moderate quality of evidence. PROSPERO number: This review was previously registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023391032).
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.