title: Low-frequency pulsed electromagnetic field therapy in fibromyalgia: a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled clinical study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the clinical effectiveness of low-frequency pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy for women with fibromyalgia (FM).
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-six women with FM, aged 18 to 60 years, were randomly assigned to either PEMF or sham therapy. Both the PEMF group (n=28) and the sham group (n=28) participated in therapy, 30 minutes per session, twice a day for 3 weeks. Treatment outcomes were assessed by the fibromyalgia Impact questionnaire (FIQ), visual analog scale (VAS), patient global assessment of response to therapy, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Short-Form 36 health survey (SF-36), after treatment (at 4 wk) and follow-up (at 12 wk).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The PEMF group showed significant improvements in FIQ, VAS pain, BDI score, and SF-36 scale in all domains at the end of therapy. These improvements in FIQ, VAS pain, and SF-36 pain score during follow-up. The sham group also showed improvement were maintained on all outcome measures except total FIQ scores after treatment. At 12 weeks follow-up, only improvements in the BDI and SF-36 scores were present in the sham group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low-frequency PEMF therapy might improve function, pain, fatigue, and global status in FM patients.
authors.affiliation: Fourth Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinic, Ankara Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. ssutbeyaz@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Serap Tomruk
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Sutbeyaz
authors.forename: Nebahat
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sezer
authors.forename: Fusun
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Koseoglu
authors.forename: Sibel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kibar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010352:Patient Dropouts; D011788:Quality of Life; D018401:Sample Size; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology