Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37823248›Full record

SynthesisEuropean journal of physical and rehabilitation medicine2023

Headaches treatment with EMG biofeedback: a focused systematic review and meta-analysis.

Alex Martino Cinnera, Giovanni Morone, Alessio Bisirri, Tommaso Lucenti, Mattia Rotundo, Simone Monaci, Claudia Berton, Michela Paoluzzi, Marco Iosa, Irene Ciancarelli

Open access · diamondAbstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicine, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
0.4field-weighted citation impact, top 35% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 2 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Review
  2. Review
  3. Review
  4. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors at 5 institutions in 1 country.

Alex Martino CinneraScientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization and Health Care, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy - a.martino@hsantalucia.it.
Giovanni MoroneDepartment of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
Alessio BisirriVilla Sandra Institute, Rome, Italy.
Tommaso LucentiScientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization and Health Care, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy.
Mattia RotundoScientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization and Health Care, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy.
Simone MonaciScientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization and Health Care, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy.
Claudia BertonScientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization and Health Care, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy.
Michela PaoluzziTerritorial Rehabilitation Department, ASL Avezzano-Sulmona-L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
Marco IosaDepartment of Psychology, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
Irene CiancarelliDepartment of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico · ITIstituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso · ITFondazione Santa Lucia · ITSapienza University of Rome · ITUniversity of L'Aquila · IT

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionThe aim of this paper was to present an up-to-date evaluation of the efficacy of EMG-biofeedback (EMG-BFB) for primary headaches and to address possible mediators of outcome. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: PubMed, Scopus, Embase and Pedro databases were searched from inception to May 1, 2023. All randomized controlled trials (RCT) studies using an EMG-BFB to treat headache have been included in this systematic review. The current systematic review was performed following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) recommendations and was registered in the PROSPERO database (CRD42022312827). Methodological quality was assessed through the Risk of Bias tool 2 (RoB 2). The effect sizes and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated by random-effect models on frequency, intensity, and duration variables. Egger regression and the Begg-Mazumdar rank correlation test were used for publication bias. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: A total of 3059 articles were identified through the database searches. 29 articles, involving 1342 participants, met the inclusion criteria for the systematic review; of them, 4 were included in the meta-analysis. Ten studies reported a significant improvement in the EMG-BFB group with respect to the control group. Meta-analyses show a reduction in the intensity of attacks in patients subjected to EMG-BFB (ES 0.21 [(95% CI=-0.02; 0.44), P value=0.07] based on 293 patients).

conclusionsEMG-BFB represents a non-pharmacological approach to headache treatment as shown via qualitative synthesis, despite not impressive results, this technique can be particularly useful in paediatric or in adult patients who cannot undergo drug therapies. Quantitative synthesis revealed a promising effect in the intensity of headaches attacks. Moreover, no significant effect was found about the effectiveness of EMG-BFB in the reduction of frequency and durations of headache attacks. Future studies with new multimodal technologic assessment and following RCT guidelines can unmask the potentiality of EMG-BFB in the treatment of headache.

Indexed as

Biofeedback, PsychologyElectromyographyHeadacheAdultChildHumans

Identifiers

PMID37823248
PMCPMC10797640
OpenAlexW4387564421

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

None linked

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.