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Review
. 2021 Nov 9;11(11):1167.
doi: 10.3390/jpm11111167.

Virtual Reality-Based Therapy Reduces the Disabling Impact of Fibromyalgia Syndrome in Women: Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Irene Cortés-Pérez  1   2 , Noelia Zagalaz-Anula  2 , María Del Rocío Ibancos-Losada  2 , Francisco Antonio Nieto-Escámez  3   4 , Esteban Obrero-Gaitán  2 , María Catalina Osuna-Pérez  2
Affiliations
Review

Virtual Reality-Based Therapy Reduces the Disabling Impact of Fibromyalgia Syndrome in Women: Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Irene Cortés-Pérez et al. J Pers Med. .

Abstract

Background: Virtual reality-based therapy (VRBT) is a novel therapeutic approach to be used in women with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). The aim of our study is to assess the effect of VRBT to reduce the impact of FMS in outcomes such as pain, dynamic balance, aerobic capacity, fatigue, quality of life (QoL), anxiety and depression.

Methods: Systematic review with meta-analysis was conducted from a bibliographic search in PubMed, Scopus, PEDro, Web of Science and CINAHL until April 2021 in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compare VRBT versus others to assess the mentioned outcomes in women with FMS. Effect size was calculated with standardized mean difference (SMD) and its 95% confidence interval (95% CI).

Results: Eleven RCTs involving 535 women with FMS were included. Using the PEDro scale, the mean methodological quality of the included studies was moderate (6.63 ± 0.51). Our findings showed an effect of VRBT on the impact of FMS (SMD -0.62, 95% CI -0.93 to -0.31); pain (SMD -0.45, 95% CI -0.69 to -0.21); dynamic balance (SMD -0.76, 95% CI -1.12 to -0.39); aerobic capacity (SMD 0.32, 95% CI 0.004 to 0.63); fatigue (SMD -0.58, 95% CI -1.02 to -0.14); QoL (SMD 0.55, 95% CI 0.3 to 0.81); anxiety (SMD -0.47, 95% CI -0.91 to -0.03) and depression (SMD -0.46, 95% CI -0.76 to -0.16).

Conclusions: VRBT is an effective therapy that reduces the impact of FMS, pain, fatigue, anxiety and depression and increases dynamic balance, aerobic capacity and quality of life in women with FMS. In addition, VRBT in combination with CTBTE showed a large effect in reducing the impact of FMS and fatigue and increasing QoL in these women.

Keywords: fatigue; fibromyalgia; meta-analysis; pain; physiotherapy; quality of life; virtual reality.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) flow chart for the systematic literature search and study selection process. Note: One study (León-Llamas, JL et al. 2020) [67] provided information for quantitative and qualitative synthesis.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Forest plot of the effect of virtual reality-based therapy from the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Forest plot of the effect of virtual reality-based therapy on pain.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Forest plot of the effect of virtual reality-based therapy on dynamic balance.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Forest plot of the effect of virtual reality-based therapy on aerobic capacity.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Forest plot of the effect of virtual reality-based therapy on fatigue.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Forest plot of the effect of virtual reality-based therapy on quality of life.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Forest plot of the effect of virtual reality-based therapy on anxiety.
Figure 9
Figure 9
Forest plot of the effect of virtual reality-based therapy on depression.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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