Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37847348›Full record

SynthesisSleep & breathing = Schlaf & Atmung2024

Aquatic therapy improves self-reported sleep quality in fibromyalgia patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Cristina Bravo, Francesc Rubí-Carnacea, Iolanda Colomo, Manuel Sánchez-de-la-Torre, Helena Fernández-Lago, Carolina Climent-Sanz

Open access · hybridAbstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Sleep & breathing = Schlaf & Atmung, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
3.6field-weighted citation impact, top 6% 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

7 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 16 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Guideline
  2. Article
  3. Review
  4. Effects of Aquatic Physiotherapy on Pain and Sleep Quality in Women With Fibromyalgia: A Pre-Post Study.Physiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapy · 2026
    Article
  5. Review
  6. Review
  7. 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

6 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Cristina BravoDepartment of Nursing and Physiotherapy, University of Lleida, Montserrat Roig St. n2 P.C, 25198, Lleida, Spain.
Francesc Rubí-CarnaceaDepartment of Nursing and Physiotherapy, University of Lleida, Montserrat Roig St. n2 P.C, 25198, Lleida, Spain.
Iolanda ColomoDepartment of Nursing and Physiotherapy, University of Lleida, Montserrat Roig St. n2 P.C, 25198, Lleida, Spain.
Manuel Sánchez-de-la-TorreDepartment of Nursing and Physiotherapy, University of Lleida, Montserrat Roig St. n2 P.C, 25198, Lleida, Spain.
Helena Fernández-LagoDepartment of Nursing and Physiotherapy, University of Lleida, Montserrat Roig St. n2 P.C, 25198, Lleida, Spain. helena.fernandez@udl.cat.ORCID 0000-0002-2962-8198
Carolina Climent-SanzDepartment of Nursing and Physiotherapy, University of Lleida, Montserrat Roig St. n2 P.C, 25198, Lleida, Spain.
Universitat de Lleida · ES

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThis systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of aquatic therapy on pain, sleep quality, psychological symptoms, quality of life, and health status in people diagnosed with fibromyalgia.

methodsWe searched PubMed, CINAHL, The Cochrane Library, PEDro and Scopus databases. Articles were eligible if they were randomised controlled trials (RCTs) analysing the effects of aquatic therapy in adult people diagnosed with fibromyalgia, and published by October of 2022 in English or Spanish. The Cochrane Risk of Bias tool was employed to conduct the methodological quality assessment of the encompassed studies, and the overall quality of evidence for each comparison was determined using the GRADE approach.

resultsOf 375 articles found, 22 met the inclusion criteria. Forest plot analysis of Pittsburgh sleep quality index at short- and mid-term follow-up showed a trend in favour of aquatic therapy, although not statistically significant, with weighted mean difference (WMD) = -1.71 (95% CI: -4.17 to -0.75, p = 0.17). Heterogeneity was substantial (χ

conclusionThis systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrated the effectiveness of aquatic therapy as an adjunct treatment to usual care in people suffering from fibromyalgia. Aquatic therapeutic exercise improves the symptomats of sleep quality, pain, and quality of life of adults with fibromyalgia. Further research on long-term outcomes may contribute to the currently available evidence.

Indexed as

FibromyalgiaHydrotherapySleep QualityAdultHumansQuality of LifeSelf ReportFibromyalgiaHydrotherapyMeta-analysisPainSleep quality

Identifiers

PMID37847348
PMCPMC11136798
OpenAlexW4387691892

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

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.