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Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Fibromyalgia

Benefice Assessment of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Used as an Additional Procedure to Rehabilitation Exercises in Patients Suffering From Fibromyalgia

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT01308801
Acronym
STIMALGI
Enrollment
42
Registered
2011-03-04
Start date
2011-04-30
Completion date
2015-09-30
Last updated
2025-12-17

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Fibromyalgia

Keywords

fibromyalgia, pain, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, rehabilitation exercise, quality of life

Brief summary

The purpose of this study is to determine the analgesic effectiveness of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) used as an additional procedure to rehabilitation exercises in patient suffering from fibromyalgia. A double blind clinical trial with two randomized parallel groups: * Placebo rTMS and rehabilitation exercise * Active rTMS and rehabilitation exercise

Detailed description

Fibromyalgia is the most frequent chronic diffuse painful disease (3 to 4% of the general population). Analgesic drugs are widely used in fibromyalgia, pain being the main symptom. However the effectiveness of analgesic drugs is often insufficient. Among non-drug therapies, rehabilitation exercise plays an important role with a special interest in terms of the quality of life, strain and pain. More recently the Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation effects have been evaluated in patients suffering from fibromyalgia with a statistically significative analgesic effect. Both rehabilitation exercise and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) have shown their respective analgesic effectiveness in fibromyalgia. It now seems important to evaluate the combination of these two therapies. Main objective: To evaluate the analgesic effect of rTMS in fibromyalgia patients doing rehabilitation exercise. Primary endpoint: The evaluation methode used is a visual analog scale (VAS) of pain. Patients will note down every day VAS of over the last 24 hours. The evolution of the VAS during the treatment period with respect to baseline, will be compared in both groups, active rTMS and placebo rTMS. The investigators will analyze the average daily VAS for different weeks (W2, W4, W8, W14) compared to the average daily VAS at the baseline. After a baseline period of 15 days, patients will begin sessions of rTMS and rehabilitation exercise for a period of 14 weeks. The study is composed of three assessment visits : a baseline visit, a visit corresponding to the end of the therapy with exercise period and a last assessment visit at 26 weeks after the end of the treatment. These visits will include clinical examination, blood test, an effort test, an orthostatic test, a resistance to fatigue test and polysomnography.

Interventions

DEVICEactive rTMS + rehabilitation exercise

14 weeks program of active repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation associated with rehabilitation exercise

DEVICEplacebo rTMS+ rehabilitation exercise

14 week program of placebo repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation associated with rehabilitation exercise

Sponsors

Fondation Apicil
CollaboratorOTHER
University Hospital, Grenoble
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE (Subject, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* primary fibromyalgia according to the American College of Rheumatology * no contraindication to rehabilitation exercise * pain with VAS \> 4 during at least six months * FIQ score \> 50 * no change in drug therapy over the last month * affiliation to French Health Service

Exclusion criteria

* BMI \> 35kg/m² * patient who has already benefited from rTMS * rTMS contraindication * restless legs symptom * patient suffering from major depression * patient suffering from inflammatory rheumatism, autoimmune disease, other chronic pain pathology * sleep apnea syndrome * no contraindication to rTMS or MRI * pregnant women

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Change from baseline in pain Visual Analog Scale (VAS) at 14 weeks of treatmentDaily average VAS at baseline, week 2, week 4, week 8, week 14Patient will note down each day the VAS for the last 24 hours.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Change from base line in depression assessment at 14 weeks and 26 weeksat the beginning of the program, at the end (14 weeks), and 26 weeks after the end of the programBeck Depression Inventory (BDI)
Change from baseline in Covi's anxiety scaleat the beginning of the program, at the end (14 weeks), and 26 weeks after the end of the programCovi's anxiety scale
Change from baseline in sleep quality at 14 weeks abd 26 weeksAt the beginning of the program, at the end (14 weeks), and 26 weeks after the end of the programNumber of times awaking at night
Change from base line in quality of life at 14 weeks and 26 weeksAt the beginning of the program, at the end (14 weeks), and 26 weeks after the end of the programFibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ)
Change from baseline in cardiac variability at 14 weeks and 26 weeksAt the beginning of the program, at the end (14 weeks), and 26 weeks after the end of the programRMSSD values, power of spectral density HF, KF, LF/HF, alpha index (baroreflex sensitivity)
Evolution of the analgesic effect after the end of the programDaily average VAS at the end (14 weeks) and 26 weeks after the end of the programPatient will note down each day the VAS for the last 24 hours.
Change from baseline in neuromuscular fatigability at 14 weeks and 26 weeksAt the beginning of the program, at the end (14 weeks), and 26 weeks after the end of the programMaximal voluntary activation level

Countries

France

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026