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Effectiveness of nonpharmacological conservative therapies for chronic pelvic pain in women: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

American journal of obstetrics and gynecology
January 1, 2025
Małgorzata Starzec-Proserpio et al. (4 authors)
Journal ArticleMeta-AnalysisSystematic ReviewHuman Study
Study Details

Study Goal

The researchers aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture as a nonpharmacological conservative therapy for women with chronic pelvic pain (CPP).

Results Summary

The meta-analysis found no statistically significant effect of acupuncture on pain intensity (SMD 1.08, 95% CI -1.38, 3.54), with results slightly favoring control treatments. The certainty of evidence was insufficient to draw definitive conclusions.

Population

Women with chronic pelvic pain (mean age 35.1 ± 8.6).

Effective Dosage

Not specified

Duration

Not specified

Interactions

None mentioned

Extracted Claims (5)
InterventionDirectionEndpointPopulationDosageImpactClaim #
multimodal physical therapy
decrease
pain intensity
women with chronic pelvic pain
standardized mean difference -1.69, 95% confidence interval -2.54, -0.85
resulted in lower pain intensity
#1
multimodal physical therapy
decrease
pain intensity
women with chronic pelvic pain
standardized mean difference -1.82, 95% confidence interval -3.13, -0.52
resulted in lower pain intensity
#2
predominantly psychological approaches
no change
pain intensity
women with chronic pelvic pain
standardized mean difference -0.18, 95% confidence interval -0.56, 0.20
resulted in no difference in pain intensity
#3
predominantly psychological approaches
decrease
sexual function
women with chronic pelvic pain
standardized mean difference -0.28, 95% confidence interval -0.52, -0.04
resulted in a slight difference in sexual function
#4
acupuncture
no change
pain intensity
women with chronic pelvic pain
standardized mean difference 1.08, 95% confidence interval -1.38, 3.54
nonstatistically significant results in favor of control treatment
#5
Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of nonpharmacological conservative therapies for women with CPP. DATA SOURCES: A systematic search of electronic databases (Amed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, SportDiscuss, Medline, PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) was performed in January 2023, and updated in December 2023. STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Randomized controlled trials comparing a nonpharmacological conservative therapy to inert (eg, placebo, usual care) or nonconservative (eg, surgical, pharmacological) treatment were included. Conservative therapies of interest to this review were: multimodal physical therapy, predominantly psychological approaches, acupuncture, and other tissue-based monotherapies (eg, electrophysical agents, manual stretching). STUDY APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS METHODS: All study data were aggregated, and analyses of the included studies were performed. Effects on pain; sexual measures; psychological and physical function; health-related quality of life; symptom severity/bother; pelvic floor muscle function and morphometry; perceived improvement; and adverse events were analyzed. Meta-analyses (random effects model) were conducted using postintervention scores for data that included similar interventions and outcomes. Standardized mean differences were calculated. A narrative summary of findings that could not be included in the meta-analysis is provided. The quality of the evidence was assessed with the Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale and the certainty of evidence with Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations criteria. RESULTS: Of 5776 retrieved studies, 38 randomized controlled trials including 2168 women (mean age 35.1±8.6) were included. Meta-analyses revealed that multimodal physical therapy resulted in lower pain intensity compared to inert or nonconservative treatments in both the short (standardized mean difference -1.69, 95% confidence interval -2.54, -0.85; high certainty) and intermediate-terms (standardized mean difference -1.82, 95% confidence interval -3.13, -0.52; moderate certainty), while predominantly psychological approaches resulted in no difference in pain intensity (standardized mean difference -0.18, 95% confidence interval -0.56, 0.20; moderate certainty) and a slight difference in sexual function (standardized mean difference -0.28, 95% confidence interval -0.52, -0.04; moderate certainty). The level of evidence regarding the meta-analysis of the effects of acupuncture on pain intensity (standardized mean difference 1.08, 95% confidence interval -1.38, 3.54, nonstatistically significant results in favor of control treatment) precluded any statement of certainty. A limited number of trials investigated individual tissue-based monotherapies, providing a restricted body of evidence. CONCLUSION: This systematic review with meta-analysis revealed that multimodal physical therapy is effective in women with chronic pelvic pain with a high certainty of evidence.

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
FemaleHumansAcupuncture TherapyChronic PainConservative TreatmentPelvic FloorPelvic PainPhysical Therapy ModalitiesQuality of LifeRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicTreatment Outcome
Study Links
Quality Scores
SafetyNot Assessed
Efficacy30/10
Quality85/10
Citation Metrics
Total Citations5
Citations/Year5.0
Research Impact Scores
APT Score0.75
Weight Score3.18
Normalized Score0.49
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