Laseracupuntura pulsada aplicada nos acupontos d o protocolo ryodoraku para intensidade da dor e variabilidade da frequência cardíaca na fibromialgia: ensaio clínico randomizado

Abstract

Fibromyalgia is a serious health problem with socioeconomic implications and negative individual, family and social impacts. Complementary programs and therapies with proven efficacy in alleviating its symptoms may represent a low-cost solution for its treatment and a lower rate of occurrence of adverse effects from drug therapy, which is still widely used. The literature shows acupuncture and laser acupuncture as an effective treatment in alleviating the symptoms of fibromyalgia, but in a scarce way and with different protocols not yet robustly established. Objective: To evaluate the effect of pulsed laser acupuncture applied to individual acupoints of the Ryodoraku protocol for pain intensity and heart rate variability in Fibromyalgia (FM). Methodology: The study is characterized as a Randomized Clinical Trial - Pilot Study, controlled and parallel. The sample consisted of women diagnosed with FM according to the ACR-2010 Diagnostic Criteria, aged between 40 and 80 years. The sample was randomized into two groups: Control group (CG - n=10), which received a lecture on health education; and Experimental Group (GExp – n=10), which received treatment with pulsed laser acupuncture in individual acupoints evaluated by electrodiagnosis in acupuncture (Ryodoraku). Both groups were evaluated before the intervention and after six sessions. The instruments used for evaluation were: Numerical Pain Classification Scale (END), Diagnostic Criteria in Fibromyalgia ACR-2010 (GDI - Generalized Pain Index and ESS - Symptom Severity Scale) and Heart Rate Variability (HRV). Delta calculation, Shapiro Wilk test (normality) were used and comparisons between groups were tested using the Mann-Whitney test. Results: The results found were significant reduction for END (p=0.00), IDG (p=0.00) and ESS (p=0.00) between groups. There was no statistical difference for the HRV variables. Conclusion: It is concluded that pulsed- frequency laser acupuncture applied in Ryodoraku protocol acupunctures reduced pain intensity, SDI and ESS in women with Fibromyalgia, but did not modify HRV parameters.