Trial reportEuropean journal of physical and rehabilitation medicine2023
Photobiomodulation therapy combined with static magnetic field is better than placebo in patients with fibromyalgia: a randomized placebo-controlled trial.
Trial report 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 7 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled 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.
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
7 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 9 citations in OpenAlex.
- Effect of photobiomodulation on pain and quality of life in fibromyalgia syndrome: a systematic review.Lasers in medical science · 2026Pooled it
- SIMFER guidelines on physical modalities for chronic primary pain management.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicine · 2026Guideline
- Photobiomodulation in chronic pain: a systematic review of randomized clinical trials.Frontiers in integrative neuroscience · 2026Pooled it
- From light to healing: photobiomodulation therapy in medical disciplines.Journal of translational medicine · 2025Review
- Review
- Construction and Application of a Static Magnetic Field Exposure Apparatus for Biological Research in Aqueous Model Systems and Cell Culture.Bio-protocol · 2024Article
- Effects of Short-, Medium-, and Long-Term Treatment Using Photobiomodulation Therapy Combined with Static Magnetic Field in Aging Rats.Biomedicines · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
13 authors at 4 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundFibromyalgia is a syndrome characterized by generalized chronic pain and tenderness in specific areas. Photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) using low-level laser therapy and/or light emitting diode therapy is an electrophysical agent that can be used alone or together with a static magnetic field (PBMT-sMF) to promote analgesia in several health conditions. Little evidence exists regarding the effects of using PBMT and PBMT-sMF in patients with fibromyalgia; this evidence is conflicting.
aimWe aimed to investigate the effects of using PBMT-sMF versus a placebo on reduction of the degree-of-pain rating, impact of fibromyalgia, pain intensity, and satisfaction with treatment in patients with fibromyalgia.
designA prospectively registered, monocentric, randomized placebo-controlled trial, with blinding of patients, therapists, and assessors, was performed.
settingThe study was conducted at the Laboratory of Phototherapy and Innovative Technologies in Health (LaPIT) in Brazil, between March and October 2020. POPULATION: Ninety female patients with fibromyalgia were randomized to undergo either PBMT-sMF (N.=45) or placebo (N.=45) treatment.
methodsPatients from both groups received nine treatment sessions, three times a week, for 3 weeks. Clinical outcomes were collected at baseline, the end of treatment, and at the follow-up appointment 4 weeks post-treatment. The primary outcome was the degree-of-pain rating, measured by the reduction of the tender point count.
resultsA decrease in the degree-of-pain rating was observed in patients allocated to the PBMT-sMF group, decreasing the number of tender points when compared to placebo group at the end of treatment (P<0.0001) and at the follow-up assessment (P<0.0001). Patients did not report any adverse events.
conclusionsPBMT-sMF is superior to placebo, supporting its use in patients with fibromyalgia. CLINICAL REHABILITATION IMPACT: PBMT-sMF might be considered an important adjuvant to the treatment regimens of patients with fibromyalgia.
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