Low-frequency transcranial magnetic stimulation in patients with fibromyalgia and major depression.
OBJECTIVE
To study the efficacy of low-frequency transcranial magnetic stimulation in patients with fibromyalgia and major depression.


METHODS
Twenty-eight patients were randomly assigned to receive 20 sessions of real or sham transcranial magnetic stimulation of the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. The main stimulation parameters were 15 trains at 110% of the motor threshold for 60 seconds at a frequency of 1 Hz. Blinded external evaluators administered the fibromyalgia scales (FibroFatigue, Likert pain) and the depression scales (Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Clinical Global Impression) during the study.


RESULTS
Both treatment groups (real and sham) improved their scores in some of the scales (FibroFatigue and Clinical Global Impression), although there were no differences between them. No improvements were observed in the Likert Pain Scale in either of the groups.


CONCLUSIONS
With the methodology used in this study, patients with fibromyalgia and major depression who received real magnetic stimulation did not present significant differences in symptoms with respect to those who received sham magnetic stimulation.
Carretero
Blanca
B
Hospital Son Llatzer, Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
Martín
Ma José
MJ
Juan
Antonio
A
Pradana
Ma Luz
ML
Martín
Beatriz
B
Carral
Maria
M
Jimeno
Teresa
T
Pareja
Antonio
A
Montoya
Pedro
P
Aguirre
Iratxe
I
Salva
Joan
J
Roca
Miguel
M
Gili
Margalida
M
Garcia-Toro
Mauro
M
D000328:Adult; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017288:Pain Threshold / Q000502:physiology; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017211:Treatment Failure