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Is aerobic exercise helpful in patients with migraine? A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Author(s) -
La Touche Roy,
Fernández Pérez Juan José,
Proy Acosta Alejandro,
González Campodónico Lisandro,
Martínez García Sergio,
Adraos Juárez Daniel,
Serrano García Beatriz,
AnguloDíazParreño Santiago,
CuencaMartínez Ferran,
SusoMartí Luis,
ParisAlemany Alba
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of medicine and science in sports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.575
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1600-0838
pISSN - 0905-7188
DOI - 10.1111/sms.13625
Subject(s) - meta analysis , medicine , migraine , confidence interval , quality of life (healthcare) , randomized controlled trial , strictly standardized mean difference , publication bias , aerobic exercise , physical therapy , intensity (physics) , physics , nursing , quantum mechanics
Purpose To assess the effects of aerobic exercise (AE) on patients with migraine in terms of pain intensity, frequency and duration of migraine, and quality of life. Methods A systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials were conducted. Standardized mean differences (SMDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for relevant outcomes and were pooled in a meta‐analysis using the random‐effects model. Results A total of 10 articles from 1950 to 2019 were included, involving 508 patients. The meta‐analysis showed statistically significant differences in the decrease in pain intensity (five studies, n = 166; SMD = 1.25; 95% CI 0.47‐2.04), frequency (six studies, n = 214; SMD = 0.76; 95% CI 0.32‐1.2) and duration of migraine (four studies, n = 106; SMD = 0.41; 95% CI 0.03‐0.8), in the short‐term. In addition, the meta‐analysis showed statistically significant differences in the increase in quality of life (four studies, n = 150; SMD = 2.7; 95% CI 1.17‐4.24), even though the Egger's test suggested significant evidence of publication bias for the analysis of quality of life (intercept = 5.81; t = 6.97; P = .02). Conclusions There is low‐ and moderate‐quality evidence that in patients with migraine AE can decrease the pain intensity, frequency and duration of migraine and can also increase quality of life.