Mild Water-Filtered Infrared-A Whole-Body Hyperthermia Reduces Pain in Patients with Fibromyalgia Syndrome—A Randomized Sham-Controlled Trial
The challenging treatment situation of patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) requires additional therapy options. The effects of water-filtered infrared-A whole-body hyperthermia (WBH) versus sham hyperthermia on pain intensity were investigated in an outpatient setting within a two-armed random...
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MDPI AG
2023-04-01
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| Series: | Journal of Clinical Medicine |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/12/8/2945 |
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| author | Jost Langhorst Anna K. Koch Christina Kehm Özlem Öznur Harald Engler Winfried Häuser |
| author_facet | Jost Langhorst Anna K. Koch Christina Kehm Özlem Öznur Harald Engler Winfried Häuser |
| author_sort | Jost Langhorst |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The challenging treatment situation of patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) requires additional therapy options. The effects of water-filtered infrared-A whole-body hyperthermia (WBH) versus sham hyperthermia on pain intensity were investigated in an outpatient setting within a two-armed randomized sham-controlled trial. <i>n</i> = 41 participants aged between 18 and 70 years with a medically confirmed diagnosis of FMS were randomized to WBH (intervention; <i>n</i> = 21) or sham hyperthermia (control; <i>n</i> = 20). Six treatments with mild water-filtered infrared-A WBH over a period of three weeks with at least one day in between treatments were applied. On average, the maximum temperature was 38.7 °C for a duration of approximately 15 min. The control group received exactly the same treatment except that an insulating foil between the patient and the hyperthermia device blocked most of the radiation. Primary outcome was pain intensity measured by the Brief Pain Inventory at week 4. Secondary outcomes included blood cytokine levels and FMS-related core symptoms and quality of life. Pain intensity at week 4 was significantly different between the groups in favor of WBH (<i>p</i> = 0.015). A statistically significant pain reduction in favor of WBH was also found at week 30 (<i>p</i> = 0.002). Mild water-filtered infrared-A WBH effectively reduced pain intensity at the end of treatment and follow-up. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T04:52:38Z |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-0383 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T04:52:38Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Clinical Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-0de3864f268d44e5a44660a460d238792023-11-17T19:50:39ZengMDPI AGJournal of Clinical Medicine2077-03832023-04-01128294510.3390/jcm12082945Mild Water-Filtered Infrared-A Whole-Body Hyperthermia Reduces Pain in Patients with Fibromyalgia Syndrome—A Randomized Sham-Controlled TrialJost Langhorst0Anna K. Koch1Christina Kehm2Özlem Öznur3Harald Engler4Winfried Häuser5Department of Internal and Integrative Medicine, Sozialstiftung Bamberg, 96049 Bamberg, GermanyDepartment of Integrative Medicine, Medicinal Faculty, University of Duisburg-Essen, 96049 Bamberg, GermanyDepartment of Internal and Integrative Medicine, Sozialstiftung Bamberg, 96049 Bamberg, GermanyDepartment of Internal and Integrative Medicine, Sozialstiftung Bamberg, 96049 Bamberg, GermanyInstitute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Immunobiology, Center for Translational and Behavioral Neurosciences, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45147 Essen, GermanyDepartment of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Technical University Munich, 81675 Munich, GermanyThe challenging treatment situation of patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) requires additional therapy options. The effects of water-filtered infrared-A whole-body hyperthermia (WBH) versus sham hyperthermia on pain intensity were investigated in an outpatient setting within a two-armed randomized sham-controlled trial. <i>n</i> = 41 participants aged between 18 and 70 years with a medically confirmed diagnosis of FMS were randomized to WBH (intervention; <i>n</i> = 21) or sham hyperthermia (control; <i>n</i> = 20). Six treatments with mild water-filtered infrared-A WBH over a period of three weeks with at least one day in between treatments were applied. On average, the maximum temperature was 38.7 °C for a duration of approximately 15 min. The control group received exactly the same treatment except that an insulating foil between the patient and the hyperthermia device blocked most of the radiation. Primary outcome was pain intensity measured by the Brief Pain Inventory at week 4. Secondary outcomes included blood cytokine levels and FMS-related core symptoms and quality of life. Pain intensity at week 4 was significantly different between the groups in favor of WBH (<i>p</i> = 0.015). A statistically significant pain reduction in favor of WBH was also found at week 30 (<i>p</i> = 0.002). Mild water-filtered infrared-A WBH effectively reduced pain intensity at the end of treatment and follow-up.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/12/8/2945fibromyalgiawhole-body hyperthermiarandomized controlled trialintegrative medicine |
| spellingShingle | Jost Langhorst Anna K. Koch Christina Kehm Özlem Öznur Harald Engler Winfried Häuser Mild Water-Filtered Infrared-A Whole-Body Hyperthermia Reduces Pain in Patients with Fibromyalgia Syndrome—A Randomized Sham-Controlled Trial Journal of Clinical Medicine fibromyalgia whole-body hyperthermia randomized controlled trial integrative medicine |
| title | Mild Water-Filtered Infrared-A Whole-Body Hyperthermia Reduces Pain in Patients with Fibromyalgia Syndrome—A Randomized Sham-Controlled Trial |
| title_full | Mild Water-Filtered Infrared-A Whole-Body Hyperthermia Reduces Pain in Patients with Fibromyalgia Syndrome—A Randomized Sham-Controlled Trial |
| title_fullStr | Mild Water-Filtered Infrared-A Whole-Body Hyperthermia Reduces Pain in Patients with Fibromyalgia Syndrome—A Randomized Sham-Controlled Trial |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mild Water-Filtered Infrared-A Whole-Body Hyperthermia Reduces Pain in Patients with Fibromyalgia Syndrome—A Randomized Sham-Controlled Trial |
| title_short | Mild Water-Filtered Infrared-A Whole-Body Hyperthermia Reduces Pain in Patients with Fibromyalgia Syndrome—A Randomized Sham-Controlled Trial |
| title_sort | mild water filtered infrared a whole body hyperthermia reduces pain in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome a randomized sham controlled trial |
| topic | fibromyalgia whole-body hyperthermia randomized controlled trial integrative medicine |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/12/8/2945 |
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