TY - JOUR
T1 - Comparative Efficacy of Neuromodulation and Structured Exercise Program on Autonomic Modulation in Fibromyalgia Patients
T2 - Pilot Study
AU - Rubio-Zarapuz, Alejandro
AU - Apolo-Arenas, María Dolores
AU - Fernandes, Orlando
AU - Tornero-Aguilera, José Francisco
AU - Clemente-Suárez, Vicente J.
AU - Parraca, Jose A.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 by the authors.
PY - 2024/8
Y1 - 2024/8
N2 - Background: Fibromyalgia is a chronic disorder marked by widespread muscle and joint pain, persistent fatigue, sleep disturbances, and irregularities in the autonomic nervous system (ANS). Methods: This study compared the effectiveness of neuromodulation using the EXOPULSE Mollii suit with a structured exercise program in regulating ANS function in fibromyalgia patients. In this randomized, longitudinal crossover study, 10 female patients were randomly assigned to either the Suit + Exercise group or the Exercise + Suit group. Each group participated in two sessions per week for eight weeks, followed by a two-week washout period before switching to the other intervention. We measured cortical arousal, microcirculation, and heart rate variability (HRV) before and after the 1st, 8th, and 16th sessions. Results: The results showed significant improvements in cortical arousal, HRV, and microcirculation with the neuromodulation treatment whereas the exercise program only produced short-term improvements in cortical arousal. Conclusion: The EXOPULSE Mollii suit exhibited cumulative benefits on ANS modulation over time, suggesting potential long-term advantages for managing fibromyalgia. However, further research is needed to explore the delayed effects of both treatments on ANS modulation.
AB - Background: Fibromyalgia is a chronic disorder marked by widespread muscle and joint pain, persistent fatigue, sleep disturbances, and irregularities in the autonomic nervous system (ANS). Methods: This study compared the effectiveness of neuromodulation using the EXOPULSE Mollii suit with a structured exercise program in regulating ANS function in fibromyalgia patients. In this randomized, longitudinal crossover study, 10 female patients were randomly assigned to either the Suit + Exercise group or the Exercise + Suit group. Each group participated in two sessions per week for eight weeks, followed by a two-week washout period before switching to the other intervention. We measured cortical arousal, microcirculation, and heart rate variability (HRV) before and after the 1st, 8th, and 16th sessions. Results: The results showed significant improvements in cortical arousal, HRV, and microcirculation with the neuromodulation treatment whereas the exercise program only produced short-term improvements in cortical arousal. Conclusion: The EXOPULSE Mollii suit exhibited cumulative benefits on ANS modulation over time, suggesting potential long-term advantages for managing fibromyalgia. However, further research is needed to explore the delayed effects of both treatments on ANS modulation.
KW - autonomic modulation
KW - cortical arousal
KW - exercise
KW - fibromyalgia
KW - heart rate variability
KW - neuromodulation therapy
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85200903729&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/jcm13154288
DO - 10.3390/jcm13154288
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85200903729
SN - 2077-0383
VL - 13
JO - Journal of Clinical Medicine
JF - Journal of Clinical Medicine
IS - 15
M1 - 4288
ER -